Jess GillamMBE (born 24 May 1998) is a British saxophonist andBBC radio broadcaster fromUlverston, Cumbria.[1][2] Gillam hostsThis Classical Life onBBC Radio 3.[3]
Gillam attended the JuniorRoyal Northern College of Music while at secondary school.[4] She left sixth form early to concentrate on practising the saxophone and then attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester[5] but dropped out before completing her undergraduate course. During thecoronavirus pandemic in 2020 she completed a Master's degree fromGuildhall School of Music and Drama in London.[6]
Gillam is the youngest ever presenter on BBC Radio 3 and the first saxophonist to be signed toDecca Classics[6] Her debut albumRISE reached No.1 in the UK Classical chart.[7]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, Gillam offered her fans the opportunity to participate in several virtual orchestras. This involved participants submitting videos of themselves performing individual parts on their chosen instrument. These were then edited, mixed and published onYouTube. The orchestras attracted participation of well over 500 entries on each occasion, and included the songs "Where Are We Now?", "Let It Be" and "Sleigh Ride".[9][10][11]
