The Glasshouse

Jess Gillam and friends from Royal Northern Sinfonia are hitting the road. From 25 – 30 June 2024, Jess, violinist Caroline Pether, and a string ensemble from Royal Northern Sinfonia will take the programme On the Nature of Daylight across the North. They’ll stop off to perform for music fans in Sedbergh, Berwick, Auckland and Hexham.

Earlier in the year, On the Nature of Daylight was a huge hit in Sage Two at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music. The sell-out concert was a mix of Jess’ favourite classical and contemporary pieces. The Glasshouse and Royal Northern Sinfonia want people across the region to experience Jess’ enthusiasm and the flexibility of classical music.

Bringing performances to unexpected places, the orchestra perform at local tours, offering classical music’s timeless beauty to as many people as possible. The Glasshouse is keen to ensure everyone, including communities in the countryside, gets a taste of classical music right where they live.

Audiences at Sedbergh Music Festival, The Maltings, Auckland Castle and Hexham Abbey will dive into an eclectic programme with the cosmic vibes of David Bowie’s Life on Mars and poetic Les Illuminations by Benjamin Britten. Jess, Caroline and the orchestra will cast a spell that will stay with listeners long after the last note fades away.

Jess Gillam said,

“I am especially looking forward to performing with Royal Northern Sinfonia in some brilliant venues around the north of England next week! We have a concert packed with a wide range of music – from ecstatic baroque by CPE Bach to anthem Bowie with lush strings.

“Royal Northern Sinfonia is a special orchestra – I always learn something from performing with them, and we hope you might be able to see the concert we’ve been putting together.”

James Thomas, Director of Royal Northern Sinfonia, said,

 “It’s always a pleasure to work with our long-time friend Jess Gillam. Her programme On the Nature of Daylight will illuminate areas across the North with a spectrum of music from Bach to Bowie. It’s also a brilliant way for music fans who live in rural areas to get to know our orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, even better. We’ll see you there.”

Violinist Caroline Pether said,

“I can’t wait to bring this programme to the North East with Royal Northern Sinfonia alongside the fantastic Jess Gillam. Jess is such a dynamic, expressive performer. I’ve performed with her many times, and audiences always leave concerts feeling restored and inspired.

“We’re especially pleased to bring the programme to many areas, including Sedbergh, Berwick, Auckland and Hexham. These special live events where we share listening experiences in a space all together bring inner harmony and healing – it’s so important that it’s not just folk living in cities getting to experience these moments.”

-ENDS-

Press enquiries:

Beverley Knight: beverley.knight@theglasshouseicm.org 0191 443 4583

Images:

Credit: Tynesight Photographic

Jess Gillam – IMAGE
Royal Northern Sinfonia – IMAGE

Tour dates

On the Nature of Daylight Tour | The Glasshouse (theglasshouseicm.org)

• Tuesday 25 June | Sedbergh Music Festival
• Friday 28 June | The Maltings, Berwick
• Saturday 29 June | Auckland Castle
• Saturday 30 June | Hexham Abbey

About Royal Northern Sinfonia
Since its creation in 1958, Royal Northern Sinfonia has moved the North East and beyond. They’re not just the UK’s only full-time chamber orchestra but a musical family.

Royal Northern Sinfonia is a true musical ambassador. Their passport is stamped by the world’s most prestigious festivals, like BBC Proms, and they have a history of performances in places including Tokyo and Budapest.

Innovation is in their DNA, as seen in the commissioning of new works by luminaries such as David Lang and Errollyn Wallen. And with RNS Moves, an inclusive ensemble featuring disabled musicians and non-disabled members of Royal Northern Sinfonia, they’ve broken down barriers, making their music a beacon of inclusivity. Their collaborations read like a who’s who of the classical and contemporary music scene, featuring maestros like Christian Tetzlaff, soloists like Jess Gillam and icons like John Grant.

Through The Glasshouses’ Centre of Advanced Training and In Harmony Newcastle Gateshead, their commitment to community and education shines brightly. They nurture the next generation of musicians, ensuring the future of music is as vibrant as its past.

About The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a home for live music lovers.

It’s a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or string quartets. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum-selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine-shaking toddlers practise in the same spaces as its acclaimed orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Because as an international centre for music they’re focused on creating and celebrating outstanding music – whether that’s unearthing or growing talent from the region or bringing the world’s best artists to their stages. And as a charity they’re focused on making sure all of that is available to anyone – no matter where you’re from, how old you are, how much money you have, or what challenges you face.

Which is why every year more than 2 million people are able to join for top-notch gigs, concerts, and classes – in their venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North East, and through livestreamed performances and digital lessons.

Whether you’re making it up or taking it in, you’ll find music lives and grows there.

More about The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

• From global stars to artists starting out, The Glasshouse has hosted 10,022 performances, totalling 4.7m tickets. To have seen every performance would have meant seeing one show every day for 27 years.
• It’s hosted over 220,000 music lessons for North East folk. The region’s young people have learnt to play, sing or produce with us, on over 1.7m occasions.
• Royal Northern Sinfonia perform at The Glasshouse, tour the region, and have played to international audiences on four continents, with livestreams reaching people across five.
• Like stepping stones, artists like Ward Thomas have worked their way from their free stages to selling out its big hall and getting global recognition.
• The Glasshouse regularly opens its doors to a wide range of conferences and events. Since 2004, they’ve welcome over 400,000 delegates from the likes of Greggs, NHS and British Engines, and many, many more.
• The charity is one of Gateshead’s biggest employers, and so far it’s generated £500m of economic value to the region.
• The charity has been the proud guardians of The Glasshouse for almost 20 years, safeguarding it when live music was put on hold during the pandemic.
• The centre has 630 panes of glass and stands 40m tall.