Jessica Dannheisser: Women Make Music

Shakespeare’s vision of rebellion, collaboration and uneasy peace is given a poignant anniversary revival in the atmospheric surroundings of St Giles’ Church, Cripplegate. Thrown together in limbo, mid-way between Europe and the East, a group of exiles fight for control of a haunted land and a contested history, while the indigenous inhabitants plan their resistance. Performed by an international cast, this new work by Jericho House restores surviving music that would have accompanied the play when it premiered 400 years ago. For the first time sound and narrative are reunited in this greatest of meditations on territorial conflict, displacement and political renewal.

Jessica is a composer, arranger and orchestrator. She has contributed to many film scores including Johnny English Reborn, Devil, The Young Victoria, Season of the Witch, Sex & Drugs & Rock &Roll and London Boulevard. Scores for screen include feature documentary Knuckle, selected for Sundance Film Festival 2011. Theatre scores include Sexing the Cherry– Purcell Room, Fair Trade – Rich Mix/Pleasance Theatre, Waiting– Purcell Room and Blood Wedding – Southwark Playhouse. As an arranger and orchestrator Jessica has worked with many composers and bands including Kasabian, Michael Nyman, Ilan Eshkeri, Fernando Velazquez, BOND and Magnus Fiennes. She frequently arranges for The Cinematic Orchestra, particularly for their live gigs with backing orchestra, including most recently Ninja Tune’s 20th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Jessica is also in the process of archiving all of the late Michael Kamen’s orginal scores on behalf of the Kamen estate. She studied music at Oxford University, and composition for screen at the London Film School.