Academy Staff
Annie Lydford
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 1st 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 Davy
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.
Chris Martin
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 Scott
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?
Hannah Bache
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?
Jacob Cohen
Jacob is a violinist from Buffalo, N.Y. After graduating from Cornell University, Jacob began his career as a strategy consultant at Kaiser Associates in Washington, D.C. As Head of U.S. Development, Jacob raises funds to support the Academy’s extensive touring schedule throughout North America.
Favourite Academy Recording?
Lesley Wynne
Lesley studied viola at the Royal Academy of Music, where she won prizes for solo and chamber music playing and was awarded the Recital Diploma.Her career as a musician included a position in the orchestra of the West End Show ‘Les Miserables’. In 2010, Lesley was appointed Orchestra Personnel Manager with London Sinfonietta and joined the Academy in 2018. Lesley also books players for freelance projects including orchestras for performances with Burt Bacharach, Quincy Jones, Nigel Kennedy and Joss Stone.
Favourite Academy Recording?
Rose Hall
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. Outside of work, Rose continues to compose, sing with the City of Canterbury Chamber Choir, reads, tends to the allotment, and walks a bouncy Labrador called Barry.
Favourite Academy recording?
It has to be the recording that unknowingly introduced me to the Academy at a wee young age – Amadeus!
Alex Robinson
After studying sculpture, Alex went on to work with arts organisations across the arts & heritage sectors, be that music, theatre, visual arts, dance, visitor attractions, festivals and anything else in between, both with venues and for production companies.
With over 15 years marketing experience Alex has worked with a large number of arts organisations, to name just a few: Almeida, barbican, Channel 4, Cheek by Jowl, Dance Umbrella, Hofesh Shechter, London Design Biennale, Manchester International Festival, Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Old Royal Naval College, Serpentine Galleries, Somerset House, Southbank Centre and Tate.
Callum Given
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.
Anna Galloway
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!
Georgina Hamilton
Georgina studied music performance on cello at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, in Cardiff. She is passionate about all aspects of performance, with a particular interest in orchestral and chamber performance. Some personal performance highlights include playing as soloist for Elgar’s E minor concerto with Cardiff Chamber Orchestra, performing in the CBSO Youth Orchestra with Tasmin Little, performing in concert with Abel Selaocoe and touring to France and Poland.
Recently graduated from her undergraduate studies, Georgina is now based in London pursuing a career in Development & Marketing supporting the ASMF Orchestra, as well as continuing her varied performance projects in her free time. She also enjoys mixology, art & culture, theatre, and fashion.