Jess Dandy

Cumbrian born Jess Dandy is the foremost British contralto of her generation and has been praised for her instrument of velvety plangent timbre, and her artistic immediacy. Highlights of the 2024/25 season include her return to the BBC Proms for Holst’s The Cloud Messenger with the BBC Symphony conducted by Sakari Oramo, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Boston Symphony/Ludovic Morlot at Tanglewood, Thomas Adès Totentanz with Leipzig Gewandhausorchester conducted by Thomas Adès, Mozart’s Requiem with Aalborg Symphony/Sofi Jeannin, Handel’s Messiah with Tampere Philharmonic/Matthew Halls, Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet with Bergen Philharmonic/Sir Mark Elder and Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with BBC Philharmonic/John Storgårds. Recitals this seasons include Jess' return to the Oxford International Song Festival for a programme entitled Eternity in an Hour with Keval Shah, to the Wigmore Hall for a recital with Dylan Perez, to the University of York for a recital with Ben Goldscheider, Fenella Humphreys and Martin Roscoe and to Harrogate for a recital with Simon Lepper, amongst others. On the opera stage, future seasons see Jess make debuts at Bayerische Staatsoper, Royal Opera and Ballet, Osterfestspiele Salzburg and The Grange Festival. In 2021, Jess was shortlisted for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award in the category of Young Artist. She is a multi-faceted artist with a keen interest in ecology, body psychology and spirituality.