WHAT does eminent conductor Sir Andrew Davis and saxophone star Jess Gillam have in common?

For starters, they shared the spotlight during the BBC's recent Last Night of the Proms.

And what a stunning night that was.

The other connection is that the noble knight of classical music and the 20-year-old Ulverston sax sensation both grace the new Lakeland Sinfonia Concert Society 2018/2019 series.

Jess plays Kendal Leisure Centre's Westmorland Hall on Sunday, January 20, in a feast of dance and jazz-inspired music and Sir Andrew

will be on the podium for the BBC Philharmonic's Kendal visit in the second half of the series on Saturday, April 27, which also features another stellar talent, violinist, Jennifer Pike.

Jess blew everyone away during the BBC's Proms night. First, performing Michael Nyman's If (from The Diary of Anne Frank) at Proms in the Park in Hyde Park before dashing across to the Royal Albert Hall and - after a quick costume change - playing Brazileira from Scaramouche by Darius Milhaud as part of the Last Night celebrations. For the record, both pieces have been released on Decca Classics, as a taster of what's to come on Jess's debut album for Decca next year.

She also joined acclaimed baritone Gerald Finley for a duet as part of the Royal Albert Hall programme, the whole of which was conducted by Sir Andrew.

Jess is really taking the classical music world by storm, initially catching the nation's attention during the BBC Young Musician 2016 when, at the age of 17, she made history as the first saxophonist to reach the final of the competition, wowing audiences with her rendition of Michael Nyman's Where the Bee Dances.

This year's been another busy one for Jess. In June, she made her international debut with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and there's plenty of overseas appearances coming up, including concerts with the L’Auditori Barcelona (Spain), Argovia Philharmonic (Switzerland), Tampere Philharmonic (Finland) and a recital at the acclaimed Philip's Collection series in Washington DC.

Meanwhile, the popular LSCS series opens on Saturday, September 29 (7.30pm) with the familiar faces of the Royal Northern Sinfonia directed by Bradley Creswick.

It promises a concert of tuneful, lively music with an Italian theme.

Also featuring oboist Stephen Hudson and Michael O'Donnell on cor anglais, the programme includes Schubert's overture in the Italian Style in D, Albinoni's Oboe Concerto in D Minor, Wolf's Italian Serenade, Donizetti's Concertino for Cor Anglais and Mendelssohn's Italian symphony.

Geographically, the programme for the following concert by the Halle orchestra on Saturday, October 20 (7.30pm) has a more British flavour with an arrangement by conductor Andrew Manze of Purcell's Fantasia as well as Vaughan Williams' London symphony. Soloist will be cellist Jian Wang playing Dvorak's glorious Cello Concerto, which was written in America but actually first performed in London.

The Royal Northern returns on Saturday, November 10 (7.30pm) conducted by Ben Gernon laced with the terrific tunes of sunny Spain, including Rodrigo's much loved guitar piece Concierto de Aranjuez, starring soloist Sean Shibe.

Come Christmas and conductor Wyn Davies brings his famous festive cheer to the series, picking up the baton for the Lakeland Sinfonia and pianist Llyr Williams. Centrepiece of the Saturday, December 15 concert, will be Beethoven's mighty fifth piano concerto, Emperor.

Moving into 2019, and the society's series of eight concerts continues on January 20 (4pm) with Jess Gillam playing - among other pieces - Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone by Villa-Lobos with the RNS conducted by Jessica Cottis.

For the first time LSCS brings a chamber group to the series: the Scottish Ensemble.

Centre stage as soloist will be Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero performing Mozart's 14th Piano Concerto. Gabriela also airs her own composition Babel during the Saturday, February 16 (7.30pm) performance.

Danish composer Carl Nielsen's rich and beautifully coloured description of the daily journey of the sun over the Aegean Sea opens the Lakeland Sinfonia's Saturday, March 16 (7.30pm) concert. Conducted by Philip Ellis, also in the programme is Mendelssohn's ever-popular, high spirited and lyrical Violin Concerto, played by another of the series' galaxy of star performers, Lucy Gould.

Saturday, April 27 (7.30pm), and the concert series ends with a definitely-not-be-missed night of what's described as 'big' music courtesy of the BBC Philharmonic, which begins with Symphony no 6 from Sibelius and concludes with his Finlandia epic.

Under the distinguished baton of Sir Andrew Davis the revered BBC ensemble also rattles off Stravinsky's Symphony in C and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with soloist Jennifer Pike displaying her tremendous virtuosic skills.

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