Christmas with the Jess Gillam Ensemble
In this festive evening, Jess Gillam celebrates the dynamism, diversity and emotional power of one of the world’s most versatile instruments with a few Christmas classical and wintery delights for good measure.
This is the saxophone as you’ve never heard it before. In this festive evening, Jess Gillam celebrates the dynamism, diversity and emotional power of one of the world’s most versatile instruments, throwing in a few Christmas classical and wintery delights. This is a programme that, although rooted in classical music, offers an expansive and explosive exploration of a massive range of music – from the groove of Michael Nyman and Corelli to barnstorming tunes by the Danish String Quartet and Barbara Thompson to the soaring beauty of festive favourites like Coventry Carol, Silent Night, Ella Fitzgerald’s The Secret of Christmas and some wassailing for good measure. With her 7-piece band, her treasured soprano and alto bronze saxophones and her passion for connecting to audiences, Jess Gillam meticulously crafts a programme that pulls on the common threads found in music spanning centuries to deliver a high-octane, enchanting evening that will leave you ready for the festive season, beaming from ear to ear.
This performance will last approximately 70 minutes, without an interval.
Concessions & Under 30s tickets
Kings Place Concessions Tickets
We want to ensure that people who may be struggling financially to purchase a ticket can still enjoy visiting Kings Place. A limited number of tickets are allocated for certain events (if the ticket type does not show in the booking pathway, it means they are not available for this event or have all been sold). Concessions tickets are accessible for people on the following criteria (for more information visit our FAQs)
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Disability Benefit
- Income Support or Job Seekers allowance
- Students
£10 ‘Under 30s’ tickets
A limited number of £10 tickets for attendees aged under 30 are available for certain shows. To purchase an ‘Under 30s’ ticket, please choose the ‘Under 30s’ price type when selecting your ticket(s). If the option does not appear, this means all ‘Under 30s’ tickets have sold out or are not available for this performance. Please note that proof of age may be requested at the venue. The £10 offer does not apply to premium price categories.
Plan your visit
Getting here
Kings Place is situated just a few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, one of the most connected locations in London and now the biggest transport hub in Europe.
Our address is:
90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
The Venue
Our performance spaces are situated on the lower ground floor. Hall One, Hall Two and St Pancras are located in level -2, reached by stairs, escalator and lift from the ground floor entrance level.
Event Times
Door times indicate auditorium entrance times only. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the Kings Place seating areas, gallery-level art, canal-side terrace, café, restaurant and bar throughout the day and evening.
- Our events begin promptly at the advertised start time. Typically, there is no support unless otherwise stated.
- We recommend arriving in good time before the performance. The Hall doors will open 30 minutes before the performance to allow time to take your seats, or to choose a space for standing shows.
- Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance where possible
Access
We aim to make your visit to Kings Place as comfortable as possible. For more information about the accessibility of Kings Place, including details about our Access Scheme, please visit this page.
If you would like to discuss your access requirements with a member of our team, please get in touch with the Box Office team at info@kingsplace.co.uk.
Food & Drink
Rotunda Bar & Restaurant
Rotunda, situated on the ground floor of Kings Place, offers a unique dining and drinking experience alongside Regent’s Canal. The concert bar in the venue foyer will also be open for select events.
Green & Fortune Café
Recently re-furbished and now open with a new look, the Green & Fortune Café is open for selected concerts. Serving hot and cold food and drinks, including sandwiches, salads, soup, stew and a pie of the day, alongside a choice of cakes made by the on-site bakery team. See here for selected concert dates and standard opening hours.
About Jess Gillam
Jess Gillam is a trailblazing saxophonist and presenter known for her electrifying performances and engaging personality. She made history as the youngest soloist at the Last Night of the Proms and now hosts the award-winning BBC Radio 3 show This Classical Life. Jess is committed to expanding the saxophone repertoire, with recent premieres including works by Anna Clyne, Dani Howard, and Karl Jenkins. She has performed with leading orchestras worldwide, including the BBC orchestras, DSO Berlin, Sydney Symphony, and Baltimore Symphony. A Decca Classics artist, her albums topped the UK Classical Charts, and her debut Rise made The Times’ Top 100 Albums of 2019. She founded the Jess Gillam Ensemble, known for its genre-crossing approach, and regularly appears at major venues across Europe and beyond. Awarded an MBE in 2021, Jess continues to champion music through education and outreach, and her dynamic presence makes her a leading voice in classical music today.
Reviews
‘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