Jess Gillam

It’s just as likely to hear Cumbria saxophonist Jess Gillam playing 20th-century classical works such as Milhaud’s jaunty Scaramouche Suite (of which she gave an unforgettable performance at the 2018 Last Night of the Proms) as arrangements of songs by Kate Bush (featured on 2019 album Rise). Gillam’s versatile programmes often take a mixtape approach, spanning styles and saxophones—she regularly plays both alto and soprano instruments. Born in Ulverston in 1998, Gillam was the first saxophonist to reach the finals of the BBC Young Musician award in 2016. Further firsts followed: she became the first sax player to be signed to Decca Classics and prestigious classical music management agency HarrisonParrott. During the 2020 lockdowns, Gillam formed the Virtual Scratch Orchestra, which brought together more than 2,000 people from 30 countries for online performances. She was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021 for services to music.