Academy Staff
Aimee Walton
Biography & photo coming soon
Alan Watt
Alan grew up listening to Academy recordings but never imagined he would one day have the opportunity to lead this incredible organisation. Prior to joining the Academy in September 2016 Alan was the Managing Director of City Music Foundation. He has held senior fundraising roles at the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Sydney Symphony and the Australian Youth Orchestra. He also sang with the Opera Australia chorus. He has a BA and BMus from the University of Melbourne and an MA in Cultural & Creative Industries from King’s College London.
Favourite Academy Recording?
Alison Tedbury
Alison graduated from college with a BA (Hons) in music and went straight into Arts Administration. Before joining the Academy in October 2017 Alison worked at The Royal Opera House where she had been Orchestra Manager; Contracts Manager for the Royal Ballet; and, for the last two years of her time there, managing their Staff Engagement programme. Alison heads up our Concerts and Tours team and is primarily responsible for creating and programming our busy touring schedule. Outside work, Alison is striving to improve her 10K run time to 1 hour, and can be quite frequently found looking rather bewildered at national dance competitions supporting her 10-year-old daughter!
Favourite Academy Recording?
Amy Scott
Amy studied Music at the University of Chichester where she played saxophone in many jazz ensembles. After graduating, she moved back to the West Country and 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 likes reading and cooking.
Favourite Academy Recording?
Charlotte O’Dair
Charlotte’s career has focused on widening access to the arts. With roles at Cardboard Citizens, Magic Me and the Arts Council she has designed and produced numerous artistic projects and performances with a range of groups, including homeless people, refugees and asylum seekers, intergenerational groups and young people at risk. She is also a trustee at The Simon Community, a community of homeless people and volunteers who live and work together.
Favourite Academy Recording?
David Hills
David studied Accounting and Finance at Middlesex University prior to commencing a career in Insurance Accounting in the City of London. He spent twenty years working for Lloyds of London Underwriting Agencies as a Syndicate Accountant followed by ten years as Head of Finance for an Insurance based Investor and service provider, that was owned by a Bermuda based Investment Hedge Fund. Wanting a change in life experience, David joined the Academy in March 2018 and is enjoying bringing his past financial experience to an entirely new sector. David has a wide musical taste and has enjoyed musical performances around the world including many performances at the Royal Opera House.
Favourite Academy Recording?
Ellie Dragonetti
Prior to joining the Academy in early 2019, Ellie was Marketing Manager at the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival.
She did a music degree in Manchester and, on completing her Masters in Arts Administration at Goldsmiths College in 2007, joined the management team at The Sixteen. From there she went onto work at the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Museums Greenwich, Spitalfields Music and Outdoor Arts UK. In 2012 she followed her heart to California, volunteering at the offices of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, taking up triathlon and perfecting her fresh pasta-making skills.
Favourite Academy Recording?
Freya Littlehales
Biography coming soon.
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!).
Photo coming soon!
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.
Favorite 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?
Susie York Skinner
Having graduated from Manchester University, Susie spent a decade in artist management, initially at Intermusica and then as a Company Director at Hazard Chase. In 2011, she became Chief Executive of Gabrieli, a leading choir and period instrument orchestra for whom she planned, fundraised and delivered ambitious, large-scale recording, performance and education projects from Purcell to Britten. In 2017, Susie moved into the newly created post of Director of Development at Gabrieli, driving significant increases in revenue from individual donors, corporate sources and Trusts & Foundations.
Susie joined the Academy in 2019 to lead our fundraising team, building relationships with the Academy’s loyal and generous supporters to support the work, and ensure the continued success, of this vibrant orchestra.
Favourite Academy recording?