Organisation

PATRON

 

HENRY SEYMOUR, Marquess of Hertford

ADMINISTRATION

MATTHEW BOYDEN, Artistic Director

Before joining the Bar, Matthew Boyden was a record producer, musicologist, critic and broadcaster. He was the Editor of CD Review Magazine, and has served on the Boards of the John Ogdon Foundation, which he helped establish, and the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra. In addition to his work as a record producer, he is the author of several books on music, including the best-selling Rough Guide to Opera, and an award-winning biography of Richard Strauss. His latest work, Beethoven and the Gothic is published in September 2018. His book on Schoenberg and Judaism (A Survivor from Vienna) will be published in 2019. He made his debut as a conductor in 2015, in a concert that included Beethoven’s Eroica. One critic wrote of the performance:

“Boyden impressed by his single-minded commitment to the music and by his self-evident musicality. In Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony [he] came into his own. […] it was clear from the first two chords that this was to be a real performance – full of commitment and fire […] here, one felt, we had a conductor with ideas of his own who accomplished what he set out to do.”

Matthew is conducting the Eroica with Orchestra of the Swan on Saturday, 29 September.

 

DAVID MILLS, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee

David Mills, Festival CEO, is a retired barrister and solicitor, a former partner of a City law firm. He is a keen amateur clarinettist, having served for a time as principal clarinet of the Royal Amateur Orchestra, London. He was Chairman of Camden Council’s Libraries and Arts Committee, which oversaw the operation of the Camden Arts Festival.

 

Caroline is a former public relations professional.  She worked for many years in one of London’s leading consumer PR consultancies and later as an account manager with FTI Consulting, a global strategic communications firm, specialising in corporate communications. She is bilingual, having been educated in England and France, and is an accomplished pianist.

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Stratford International Festival of Words and Music is the trading name of The Stratford on Avon Music Festival Company, registered at Companies House under the name number 3164482. The Festival President is John Lill CBE. The Festival Board is comprised of the following members:

DEBBIE JAGLA, Chair

After post-graduate studies as a professional (oratorio) soprano, Debbie transferred into arts administration, where she has enjoyed successful appointments as Development Director of the Three Choirs Festival and Orchestra of the Swan, for whom she now sits as Managing Director. She is also a Trustee of BAFA (British Arts Festivals Association) and the Lichfield Festival. As the newly appointed Chair of the Stratford International Festival of Words and Music, Debbie has broad experience in Festival management, fundraising and logistics. She will be performing in with Verba et Musica on 25 September.

REVEREND CANON PETER HOLLIDAY, Deputy Chair

Peter is a residentiary Canon of Lichfield Cathedral, currently overseeing liturgy and music, and a Chaplain to The Queen. He was Vicar of Stratford on Avon from 1993 to 2000 and has been a director of the festival for 20 years, including chairman for several years. By first profession he is a Chartered Accountant and has been chairman of a publicly quoted company and a director of a FTSE 250 company. Immediately prior to retirement he was CEO of a large charity and deputy chairman of a national charity.

TIM RAISTRICK

Tim is a Chartered Insurer who manages a multi-million-pound portfolio. He has wide experience over 30 years of running charities, particularly those involved with the arts and heritage. He is currently the chair of four institutions, and sits on the boards of a further three. He has been a director of the Stratford on Avon Music Festival since its foundation in 1996.

PENNY ANNE O’DONNELL

Penny has recently joined our board. She is a speech therapist and Councillor of Stratford District Council. She has worked extensively with the RSC including the UK run of its production of Matilda. She is a talented amateur actor and has extensive experience of both charitable and political fundraising.

ROBIN BOWEN

Robin is a retired chartered accountant. He was for 30 years a partner in a leading accountancy firm, and has been on the Festival board for ten years, with particular responsibility for its financial affairs. He is a keen music lover and long-time supporter of the CBSO.

KEVIN MARTIN

Kevin is a solicitor and former President of the Law Society with a lifelong interest and involvement in music as concert-goer and collector. He is a Patron of Birmingham Symphony Hall.

STEPHEN DODSWORTH

Stephen is an organist, composer and expert on 17th and 18th century French music, and a former director of music at King Edward VI School in Stratford. He is an organist at Holy Trinity, Stratford, and is the co-founder and director of the Stratford Chamber Choir, and conductor of the Stratford Choral Society.

PETER RICHARDS

Peter is a founding partner of Quotidian Investments, a multi-award winning fund and portfolio manager. He is also a District Councillor for Stratford upon Avon District Council where he holds the Housing and Infrastructure Portfolio and he is an elite cricket coach for Warwickshire County Cricket Club. Peter has extensive experience in charity work and fundraising.