Prism, Vol. 1 Jess Gillam

• 1 Berriedale at Dawn 03:22
• 2 No. 15, Adagio sognando (Arr. Vennart for Saxophone & Ensemble) 02:00
• 3 saman (Arr. Lawson for Saxophone & Ensemble) 02:13
• 4 Winter Light (Version for Saxophone & Ensemble) 02:50
• 5 Reflections 03:54
• Total Runtime 14:19

Info for Prism, Vol. 1

A musical force of nature, Jess Gillam has been forging her own adventurous path since she shot to fame becoming the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician and the youngest ever soloist to perform at the Last Night of the Proms. Passionate about inspiring and bringing joy to people through music, Jess invites audiences on journeys of musical discovery through her electrifying performances and eclectic programming.

Hailing from Ulverston in Cumbria, Jess Gillam is animating the music world with her outstanding talent and infectious personality. After performing at the Last Night of the Proms in 2018 and having her performance described as “the indisputable highlight” by BBC News, Jess continues to grow her international career as well as presenting on TV and Radio.

Jess is passionate about inspiring and bringing joy to people through music and has continued to do so throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. In May 2020 Jess appeared as a special guest at the Royal Albert Hall’s VE Day 75 Commemoration and in July she returned for a performance as part of the ‘Royal Albert Home’ series. While in lock-down Jess launched her Virtual Scratch Orchestra, inviting musicians of any standard to come together to play music virtually with her. The orchestra played music by David Bowie and The Beatles as well as a Christmas special of Leroy Anderson’s ‘Sleigh Ride’. Over 2,000 people from around 30 different countries took part across the two projects, aged 2–94, playing a huge range of instruments.

Jess is the first ever saxophonist to be signed to Decca Classics and recently released her second album, ‘TIME’, which shot to No.1 in the Official UK Classical Charts, as did her debut album ‘RISE’. Jess curated the album to mirror the arc of energy in a passing day and the constant orbit of our existence. She is the first ever saxophonist to be signed to Decca Classics and recently released her second album, ‘TIME’, which shot to No.1 in the Official UK Classical Charts, as did her debut album ‘RISE’. She has been the recipient of a Classic BRIT Award (in the Sound of Classical Poll), was the first ever saxophonist to reach the final of BBC Young Musician, and in 2019, performed live at the BAFTAs to millions of viewers at home.

After reaching no.1 in the classical charts with her latest album, TIME, Jess Gillam performs music from the album on tour for the first time in eight locations across England from 26 June – 25 August. She is joined by a small ensemble made up of an incredible group of musicians from a wide range of musical backgrounds but with roots in classical music. The Jess Gillam Ensemble includes Roberts Balanas & Michael Jones (violins); Eoin Schmidt-Martin (viola); Gabriella Swallow (cello); Sam Becker (bass); Elsa Bradley (percussion) and Leif Kaner-Lidstrom (piano).

As part of the live tour, the Ensemble will play some classic favourites as well as brand new works written especially for the ensemble including music by Will Gregory (Goldfrapp), Piazzolla, Meredith Monk, Kurt Weill, Bjork, Luke Howard, Joby Talbot + more. The tour begins with Proms at St Jude’s, Hampstead (26 June) and continues at Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden (3 July); Cheltenham Music Festival (8 July); Budleigh Music Festival, Devon (10 July); St Albans Festival (12 July); Petworth Festival (15 July); Ryedale Festival (22 July) and Snape Maltings (25 August). The tour promises an explosive concert designed to showcase the diversity, dynamism and versatility of the saxophone.

Jess Gillam, saxophone
Jess Gillam Ensemble

Jess Gillam
is a celebrated saxophonist and presenter. With her electrifying performances, vibrant stage presence and magnetic personality, the ‘uniquely mercurial’ (The Times) Jess has been invited to play on the world’s major stages since becoming the youngest ever soloist to perform at the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Equally at home behind the microphone, Jess’ award-winning weekly show, This Classical Life, on BBC Radio 3 is now in its eighth season.

Jess is passionate about broadening the repertoire for the saxophone, especially in the classical sphere. Recent commissions include Glasslands by Anna Clyne premiered with the Detroit Symphony. Other new works include Dani Howard’s Saxophone Concerto, first heard with Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, and Karl Jenkins’s Stravaganza performed to a sold-out BBC Proms audience. Jess held the position of Associate Artist of the Royal Albert Hall until 2025 and is an Artistic Partner of Manchester Camerata.

Jess’ concerto appearances have included performances with the BBC orchestras, DSO Berlin, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Gothenburg, Iceland, Lahti, London, NDR Elbphilharmonie and Sydney Symphony Orchestra as well as the London, Royal Liverpool and Munich Philharmonic, among others. Further afield, concerto highlights in the US have included the Houston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Festival Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.

On the recital stage, Jess is seen performing across Europe, the US and beyond. As a former ECHO Rising Star, Jess has appeared throughout Europe’s most prestigious concert halls, including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Wiener Konzerthaus, Konzerthuset Stockholm and Barcelona’s Palau de le Musica.

An exclusive recording artist with Decca Classics, Jess is the first and only saxophonist to be signed to the major label. Both her albums have reached No. 1 in the UK Classical Music Charts and her debut album, Rise, was listed in The Times’ Top 100 albums of 2019. Alongside her weekly Radio 3 show, Jess has presented on BBC Radio 2, co-hosted a mini-series on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and presented at the BBC Proms and BBC Young Musician of the Year.

Jess loves collaboration and has performed with her band throughout the UK and Europe to multiple sold-out audiences at venues and festivals including the Wigmore Hall, Latitude Festival, Mozartfest Augsburg and Bath Festival.

In 2016, Jess Gillam made history after becoming the first saxophonist to reach the Finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year. She has been the recipient of a Classic BRIT Award, a The Times Breakthrough Award nominee and was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2021 for Services to Music. Returning to her roots in Ulverston in Cumbria, Jess continues to promote her own concert series in her hometown, inviting internationally renowned artists, a series she founded at age 12. She is a patron for Young Sounds UK, Music in Secondary Schools Trust, the London Music Fund and is a member of the Council of the Royal Philharmonic Society.

“Not just one of Britain’s most virtuosic instrumentalists, but also an unstuffy, inspiring personality.” The Times

“A true inspiration…she frankly rocks” Huffington Post

“…Gillam produced some astonishing virtuosity. At times her sound was pure bebop, punching out staccato barks like a boxer; in tandem with Noseda she galvanised the LSO as I’ve seldom heard them before.” INEWS

“She became the youngest presenter in Radio 3’s history with her terrifically engaging Saturday show This Classical Life. With or without her sax, she’s a terrific advocate for why music and music-making matters.” The Times

‘Gillam is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic that she wins you over and by the end of its [This Classical Life] half-hour slot I’m left wanting more.’ The Spectator

“There are many more established presenters who lack Gillam’s warmth and impressive ability” The Guardian

“She had the Royal Albert Hall in the palm of her hand” The Telegraph

This album contains no booklet.