Jess Gillam with... Sumina Studer

This Classical Life

Jess Gillam and violinist Sumina Studer swap some of their favourite music. As well as picking up prizes for her playing in the Berliner International Music Competition and the Verbier Festival amongst others, and performing with various orchestras across the world, Sumina still finds the time to make hugely popular videos for social media where she demystifies the violin to try and bring classical music to the biggest possible audience.

She brought along to the studio the incredible voice of Millie Jackson, one of Ravel's most beautiful pieces for piano and something nostalgic from the soundtrack to the anime Kiki's Delivery Service. Meanwhile Jess chose some banjo virtuosity by Bela Fleck, a homage to Piazzolla by violinist Gidon Kremer and an elegy by Yoshimatsu.

Playlist:

JOE HISAISHI: A Town with an Ocean View PIAZZOLLA: Soledad [Gidon Kremer (violin)] RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G – 2nd mvt Adagio [Martha Argerich (piano), Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado (conductor)] MILLIE JACKSON: If You’re Not Back in Love by Monday BELA FLECK/EDGAR MEYER: The B Tune [Béla Fleck (banjo), Zakir Hussain (table), Edgar Meyer (double bass)] TAKASHI YOSHIMATSU: And Birds are Still…. Op.72 [Manchester Camerata, Sachio Fujioka (conductor)] COPLAND: Symphony No. 3 – 4th mvt [San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor)]