School Concerts

Saxophone!

© Robin Clewley

4/17

Friday | 4/17/2026
10:45 am Start of Concert
Kulturpalast, Konzertsaal

About the Concert

It is rare for an instrument to bear the name of its inventor. Like the saxophone, which was first created in the early 1840s as an experiment for brass bands, but soon made the Frenchman Adolphe Sax world-famous. The success of the instrument was so great that gradually a whole family emerged: from the small sopranino (just 29 cm long) to soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone – up to the powerful bass instruments. They all share the golden yellow color of the shiny polished brass – and of course, the characteristic sound that makes the saxophone unique in jazz as well as on the concert stage. Grades 5-8

Program

Sir James MacMillan (Composer in Residence)
Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and String Orchestra

David "Dave" Heath
"The Celtic" Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Strings

Artists

Paolo Bortolameolli
Conductor
Jess Gillam
Saxophone
Malte Arkona
Moderation
Michael Kube
Conception
Dresdner Philharmonie

Biographies

Paolo Bortolameolli

The Chilean-Italian conductor Paolo Bortolameolli is Music Director of the Ópera Nacional de Chile and the Filarmónica de Santiago as well as the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional Juvenil in Chile. For some years, he was Associate Conductor of the LA Phil, where he was also able to pursue his passion for contemporary music, including the world premiere of Meredith Monk's inventive opera “Atlas” in 2019. As a creative mind, he also puts a lot of energy into music education projects.

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Jess Gillam

Jess Gillam made history in 2018 when she became the youngest soloist ever to perform at the Last Night of the Proms. The British saxophonist has since become a force to be reckoned with in the saxophone world, delighting her fans with her extraordinary temperament and bubbly personality. She loves making music together with other people, which is why she founded the Jess Gillam Ensemble. She is also a TV and radio presenter, including on BBC Radio 3 with her own program “This Classical Life”.

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Malte Arkona

The presenter, actor and voice actor Malte Arkona is known to many viewers from television, but is also one of the most sought-after music educators in the German-speaking world. He has been a regular stage partner of the Dresden Philharmonic in this capacity for many years and has been presenting its new "Best of Classics" series, which he co-designed, since the 2024/25 season. He also directs video clips for the orchestra, in which he can also be seen himself.

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Michael Kube

Concept

Michael Kube is a passionate music educator and has been conceiving the school and family concert series "phil zu entdecken" for the Dresden Philharmonic since the 2015/16 season. He also works as an editor and consultant, is a juror for the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and a university lecturer in music history, musicology and music education.

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Dresdner Philharmonie

Top Class!

That is the claim of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra stands for concerts at the highest artistic level, musical education for all ages and looking beyond the musical horizon. Guest performances on almost every continent and collaborations with guests from all over the world have established the reputation of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra in the international classical music world.  

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