Tess Jackson

British Conductor Tess Jackson is Associate Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. She grew up in Germany and started learning the piano and violin aged 6 and was inspired to start conducting aged 14. She recently completed her postgraduate degree with Sian Edwards in Orchestral Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music.

In 2022, Tess assisted Alpesh Chauhan with both the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. She also worked with the London Chamber Orchestra, and assisted Trevor Pinnock in the Royal Academy Opera’s production of The Rake’s Progress.

Forthcoming engagements include assisting Jac van Steen on Smetana’s The Bartered Bride at Garsington Opera, and a return to Waterperry Opera Festival to conduct a production of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons in collaboration with dancers from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Oxford County Youth Orchestra.

Whilst at the Academy, she worked with conductors such as Semyon Bychkov, Edward Gardner OBE (LPO), Sir Mark Elder (Hallé), John Wilson (John Wilson Orchestra) and Daniel Capps (NYC Ballet).

She is one of seven conductors invited by the Royal Philharmonic Society to front a new scheme for female conductors in association with the Royal Northern Sinfonia at Sage Gateshead. Tess also enjoys working with youth orchestras and is a regular Assistant and Associate Conductor with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

Previously, Tess studied Music at Cambridge University and was the Cambridge University Musical Society Conducting Scholar and Principal Conductor of the Cambridge University Sinfonia from 2019-21, the first woman to hold the role two years in a row.

Tess was also recently featured in Classic FM’s Rising Stars of 2023 list.

Promoters please note: if you wish to include this biography in a concert programme etc, please contact James Brown Management to ensure that you receive the most up to date version.  Email: Andrea McDermott