Fantasia Orchestra with Jess Gillam

Peter Anderson • Apr 12, 2024

Founded in 2016 by conductor Tom Fetherstonhaugh, the Fantasia Orchestra is a dynamic ensemble of some of  the best of young British classical music talent today. It has forged strong artistic partnerships with eminent soloists including Alim Beisembayev, Jess Gillam, Thomas Gould, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Vadym Kholodenko, Jennifer Pike, Laura van der Heijden, and Steven Osborne.

 

The connections in the orchestra were forged at the Royal Academy of Music, where Tom and many of the other musicians and soloists met and studied together from 2011 onwards. One of those connections, saxophonist Jess Gillam returns to Fantasia Orchestra for a vibrant and virtuosic evening of music to open their Spring/Summer 2024 season with a concert at St Gabriel's Pimlico on 13th April.


Jess brings two pieces linked by Scotland: Dave Heath's dance-filled The Celtic and Scottish composer James MacMillan's Saxophone Concerto. The haunting and meditative On the Nature of Daylight, by Max Richter, here for saxophone and strings, will float through the beautiful gothic arches of St Gabriel's Pimlico - as will Barber's Adagio for Strings in the second half. The programme is bookended by two works that show off the strings of Fantasia Orchestra: Anna Clyne's Stride and Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings.


Hailed as a ‘spark to watch’ by BBC Radio 3, 26-year-old Tom Fetherstonhaugh is the Assistant Conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of Fantasia Orchestra. Represented by Rayfield Allied, Tom has conducted performances with leading soloists and orchestras from across the world, including the Brandenburger Symphoniker (Germany), Britten Sinfonia (England), Lindenbaum Orchestra (South Korea) and Ulster Orchestra (Northern Ireland).


Deemed ‘a model of precision and control from start to finish’ (Belfast NewsLetter), he is one of the UK’s most dynamic young conductors. To watch, listen and enjoy Tom, Jess and the Fantasia Orchestra at St Gabriel's Pimlico, tickets on sale now here . For more information on the orchestra & their Spring/Summer 2024 season, please go to Fantasia Orchestra | Home


Above - Fantasia Orchestra 2024 (c) Kaupo Kikkas

Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire

By Peter Anderson • 16 May, 2024
Kaleidoscope Entertainment and Seraphim Film Productions are delighted to announce the release of Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire . London crime boss Mick Roman is deathly ill, and time is running out to find a successor. His only options are an aging consigliere or an impulsive enforcer, and neither are suitable to take the throne. Meanwhile, chaos reigns over the family who are coping with a paranoid ex-soldier, the return of a rebellious niece, and a drug-fuelled business meeting in Amsterdam. With deceit, ambition and infighting on the rise, this Roman empire may be about to fall. The British comedy crime-thriller, directed and written by Michael Head, will be in select UK Cinemas from 17th May. Gritty and unhinged in equal measure, Bermondsey Tales boasts a line-up of British stars including BAFTA-Nominee John Hannah (The Mummy), Frank Harper (Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels), Alan Ford (Snatch), Adam Deacon (Sumotherhood), Vas Blackwood (Lock Stock), Linda Robson, and Charlotte Kirk (Ocean’s Eight). Commenting on the UK release, director and writer Michael Head said; "' It was an honour to work with such a great cast on a story based on my family history. I am delighted to see it get a cinematic release and can't wait to share this with the UK audience and hope it does my family and South London proud" . Producer, Rohit Nathaniel, added; " This has been an incredible journey from discussing the script with Michael, to getting a fabulous cast and now producing this gangster comedy on the big screen for everyone to enjoy ". Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire will be in select UK Cinemas from 17th May, then DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Download from 10th June

Chasing Chasing Amy in cinemas from 17th May

By Peter Anderson • 16 May, 2024
" Compelling and raw viewing " ★★★★ Movie Marker Kindred Pictures are thrilled to announce that their debut release, documentary Chasing Chasing Amy , will be coming to UK cinemas from 17th May. After celebrating its World Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival, the film also screened to sold out showings at this year's BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival on 14th and 16th March. The documentary features interviews with Kevin Smith, as well as several of the Chasing Amy cast including Joey Lauren Adams, Guinevere Turner and Jason Lee. Chasing Chasing Amy explores the transformational impact of a ‘90s rom-com on a 12 year old kid from Kansas, coming of age and contending with queer identity. For young Sav Rodgers, the Kevin Smith cult classic, Chasing Amy, became a life raft. As Rodgers examines the film and its making as a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ cinema, he finds himself at a complicated crossroads. Originally from Kansas, Sav Rodgers is a filmmaker and screenwriter whose feature directorial debut CHASING CHASING AMY is about the complicated legacy of Chasing Amy (1997) and its profound impression on his life. The TED Talk he gave in 2018 kickstarted this filmmaking journey, and spurred the writing of scripts that center on highly specific, surprising stories about queer people. His screenplays have been recognized by GLAAD, Outfest, ScreenCraft, among others. An alumnus of the Producers Guild of America’s inaugural PGA Create program, Sav is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Transgender Film Center, a nonprofit aiming to help trans creators bring finished films to audiences around the world. Sav is a proud University of Kansas graduate and still sports KU baseball caps wherever he goes. Director, Sav Rodgers on releasing in the UK: " I'm beyond elated that Kindred Pictures and the Chasing Chasing Amy team are joining forces to bring our film to cinemas in the UK. We've been so fortunate to screen at amazing independent film festivals all over the world, including Tribeca, BFI Flare, and the London Film Festival. Our documentary is a sincere, heartfelt look about the the ways movies shape our lives, and bringing this film to big screen is a dream come true." 
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