HarrisonParrott and Polyarts are delighted to welcome saxophonist Jess Gillam to their roster for worldwide general management. Jess’s huge creative potential as performer, presenter, collaborator and composer makes her the perfect – and first – artist to be jointly represented by the two companies. 

In 2016, at the age of 17, Jess Gillam made history as the first saxophonist to win the Woodwind Final of BBC Young Musician of the Year. She then reached the Grand Final at London’s Barbican Hall, and performed Michael Nyman’s Where the Bee Danceswith the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Wigglesworth to widespread critical acclaim. 

In summer 2017, Jess made her BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall, where she performed as a soloist with both the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jessica Cottis and the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Keith Lockhart. 

Notable concerto highlights include appearances with Southbank Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and a showcase performance with the Manchester Camerata as well as a concert with Sinfonia Cymru and Gábor Takács-Nagy. Last year, Jess gave the premiere of a work written for her by Jeremy Holland-Smith on BBC Four’s Choir of the Year. 

Jess has just been made a Patron of the Awards for Young Musicians charity. She comments: ​“As an Alumna of AYM’s Awards programme I am delighted now to be giving something back by being a mentor on their ​‘Talent to Talent’ peer mentoring programme and in my new role as an AYM Patron”