ASMF Staff

Annie Lydford has been with the Academy since 2022, following roles with English National Opera, the Creative Industries Federation and Nevill Holt Opera. Annie serves on the board of the Buxton International Festival and was a founding board member of SWAP’ra (the organisation supporting woman and parents in opera). Having been organ scholar at Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge, from which she graduated in 2012 with a 1^st class degree in Music, Annie has been organist and director of music at St Anne’s Church, Soho, since 2013. Annie has an MBA from the Open University and is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. Annie had the great pleasure of being conducted by Neville Marriner and getting to know the Academy’s music while playing flute with the National Youth Orchestra as a teenager, and so it is an incredible privilege to be working with the ensemble today.

Tim is an experienced creative producer and artistic planner, with a background in international touring and partnership and project management. Having worked at the Royal Opera House, Tim spent 9 years delivering major projects, partnerships, tours and residencies at the London Symphony Orchestra, working closely with Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO’s guest conductors and artists. Tim trained as a musician and creative workshop leader and producer and draws on this breadth of experience to inform all his work. Tim is a board member and trustee of Spitalfields Music and the Samuel Gardner Memorial Trust.

Hannah studied Music at the University of Surrey where she first began producing live music events. Following internships with London Sinfonietta and Aldeburgh Festival, she went on to work within the Concerts teams at Classical Opera and OAE. Hannah joined the Academy in October 2019 after two years as Concerts and Touring Coordinator at London Sinfonietta. Outside of work Hannah sings with St Martin’s Chorus and enjoys making the most of her National Trust membership, visiting beauty spots around the UK (and their tea rooms!).

Favourite Academy recording?

Bruch Scottish Fantasy

Anna studied Music at the University of Manchester before completing her Masters degree in Cello Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. After spending two years working at Kingswood School in Bath, Anna joined ASMF in July 2023 keen to develop a career in concert management, as well as continue vital outreach work, as she’s a big believer in the value of music to everyone’s personal development. Outside of work Anna enjoys playing cello with local orchestras, spending time outdoors, and babysitting her two nephews!

Before joining ASMF in, Alex worked as a producer for Streetwise Opera working on their 2024 Re:Discover Festival and has previously worked for the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, primarily looking after the NCO National programme. She studied music at the University of Birmingham where she made the most of their fantastic arts scene. She is a huge advocate for accessibility in the arts across all ages, and believes that finding the joy and creativity in music makes the world a fundamentally better place.

Outside of work, you’ll find Alex exploring local music events, and catching up on the newest series on Netflix. She also plays the flute, although not as often as she would like!

Esme joins the ASMF after completing her Music BA at the University of York. During her time there she was President of the Music Society, running a series of lunchtime concerts. She also volunteered with the Music Education Group which inspired a passion for social purpose projects. She has worked at Buxton International Festival and the Three Choirs Festival. Esme is also a cellist and played with Opera North during her degree. In her free time she loves singing in choirs and swimming.

Chris has worked in arts and heritage fundraising for over 25 years. He has served as Head of Development at the Philharmonia Orchestra, Historic Royal Palaces and English National Opera, amongst others. He joined the Academy after having worked as Director of Communications and Development at Riverside Studios.

He is an avid theatre goer, reader and cook and still occasionally finds the time to play the piano, although his tuba playing days are behind him.

Amy studied Music at the University of Chichester where she played saxophone in many jazz ensembles. After graduating, she started working at the Wiltshire Music Centre as the Creative Learning Intern. In 2014 Amy moved to London and began her career working in Development for Spitalfields Music before joining the Academy in 2016. In her spare time Amy plays tennis and loves cooking.

Favourite Academy Recording?

Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons

Georgina is a classically-trained cellist, graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, in 2023. She is passionate about orchestral and chamber performance as well as session music and believes that there is something for everyone in classical music.

Georgina enjoys performing as much as possible around her work supporting ASMF as their Development Manager (American Friends). Her highlights with ASMF so far include Marriner 100, ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ live-in-concert (with composer Howard Shore in attendance!) and the orchestra’s performance with pianist Alexandra Dariescu. Some personal performance highlights include Georgina’s concerto debut aged 21, performing Elgar’s Em cello concerto with Cardiff Chamber Orchestra. She has also been fortunate to perform alongside star soloists such as Katherine Jenkins, Anna Lapwood, Tasmin Little, Abel Selaocoe and more at several iconic venues including the Royal Albert Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, TROXY, Metropolis Studios, and reaching as far as Kuwait to the British and Kuwaiti Embassies (sponsored by Jaguar and Bentley). She also enjoys mixology, art & culture, theatre, and fashion.

Charlotte discovered a love for the arts early on, exploring theatre, music, dance, and visual arts, and studying Theatre at the University of Chichester. She began her career at National Theatre, where she was part of the launch team for National Theatre at Home, developing CRM strategies and campaigns that boosted audience engagement and subscriptions. She then moved to Marquee TV, leading multi-channel marketing, brand partnerships, and audience growth, building expertise in streaming media. Charlotte is now Head of Audiences & Community at ASMF, and she is excited to take on this new role, using her experience in audience development, engagement, and strategy to create meaningful connections between people and the arts across genres.

In her spare time, she loves going on adventures with her dog, hiking, practicing yoga, and coaching.

Rose studied Music at the University of York with a BA Hons and a Masters in Composition. She was Box Office Manager at the National Centre for Early Music in York for four years where she was introduced to the world of Arts Marketing before moving to Kent. There she joined Jasmin Vardimon Company as Digital Marketing Officer alongside work as a freelance composer before joining the Academy in September 2021.

Favourite Academy recording?

It has to be the recording that unknowingly introduced me to the Academy at a wee young age – Amadeus!

Will studied Music at the University of Bristol for four years before graduating with an MA. After moving to London and spending the following year working with Gramophone Magazine’s commercial team, he joined Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in December 2024 as a Development and Marketing Coordinator. Outside of work he enjoys cooking, running, and eating out.

Callum found a love for music at a young age, when he learned piano and saxophone, and played with others in jazz bands and choirs. After studying, he became interested in what music-making can do for all those in society, and went on to run programmes in schools, prisons, care homes and more, first at HMDT Music and then Britten Pears Arts (Snape Maltings) in Suffolk where he led the Community programme for over three years. He now works with a variety of arts organisations, helping them use what they do to make a bigger difference.

Philip studied Music Performance on oboe at Trinity College of Music, graduating with BMus Hons and MMus degrees. After graduating he held orchestra management roles at the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity Laban and is currently Orchestra Manager for St Paul’s Sinfonia. Eight years ago Philip decided to change careers and train as an accountant, qualifying with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 2021. He moved back into the arts in 2023 when he joined the Academy of St Martin in the Fields as Finance Manager.

Outside of work Philip enjoys spending time with his young family and regularly performs with the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra.