SOUTH Cumbrian sax star Jess Gillam is set to wrap up a month-long programme of live music and theatre at the Cartmel Priory.

The young Ulverston musician is the featured performer at the historic venue as the September Festival of the Arts draws to a close on Saturday September 30.

One of the most exciting young performers to hit the local scene in recent years, and one of the most vibrant young saxophonists in the country, she has had a big year in her career, making her debut at the BBC Proms concerts, where she performed as soloist with both the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Concerto highlights include appearances with Southbank Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Sinfonia Cymru, as well as performances at the Isle of Man and Beaminster Festivals and a return visit to the Cheltenham Festival.

Jess recently gave the premiere of a piece written for her by Jeremy Holland-Smith on BBC Four’s Choir of the Year, and since her success as runner-up in the 2016 BBC Young Musician of the Year - where she made history as the first-ever saxophonist to win the Woodwind Final of the prestigious competition - she is constantly in demand on the concert platform, playing concerts across the UK and with an array of big names, including Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.

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She is currently studying with Rob Buckland at the Royal Northern College of Music, and mentored by John Harle.

Closer to home, one of Jess' big successes was being awarded Musician of the Year at the Cumbria Culture Awards, and running an annual concert series in Ulverston for the past six years, bringing international names such as Courtney Pine, Snake Davis, Tommy Smith, John Harle and the Apollo Saxophone Quartet to the town.

Accompanied by pianist Jonathan Fisher, in Cartmel she will perform a widely-varied programme ranging from contemporary compositions for the saxophone, through more established compositions by Debussy and Ravel, to music by Chick Corea.

The concert on Saturday 30 starts at 7.30pm, and tickets are available in person from the Priory shop, on the door, or via www.cartmelpriory.org.uk