Association of British Orchestras

General Manager

Bath Festival Orchestra by negotiation Closing date 29 July 2022
Launched with inauspicious timing during the pandemic, the Bath Festival Orchestra has
quickly gained a reputation for attracting the finest young musical talent, an exciting
repertoire including overlooked female composers and an innovative school outreach
programme in East London producing quantifiable outcomes. Under the artistic direction of
Peter Manning, it has won impressive reviews “...the BFO…made a truly impressive
appearance at Kings Place….dazzling us with the hot Mediterranean sunshine of
Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, and giving the UK premiere of Alba Rosa Viëtor’s Five
Symphonic Sketches from 1962. This was a revelation.” and “All credit to the string principals
here before the wondrously shadowy Scherzo fantastico second movement. Ginastera’s
imagination is astonishing, the energy white-hot at times.” and performed challenging music
to an exceptional standard.

The BFO shares the passion of Yehudi Menuhin, the founder of the original BFO, for nurturing young
talent. However, the revived BFO is at an inflection point. It has no ‘base’ or ‘community’ to draw on;
its brand and messaging needs re-framing in a highly competitive orchestra market, and it faces
commercial headwinds with concert-going audience numbers down from pre-pandemic. The BFO has
strong support from some London high net worth individuals though no ACE funding to date (though
a joint application with the Bath Festival has been made) and a hesitancy among trusts and
foundations to donate until it is well established.

After doing sterling service getting the BFO up and running in trying circumstances, the current
General Manager is taking a job at the BBC. The BFO now seeks fresh blood, to challenge the trustees
about their direction, to apply marketing flair to our 2023/2024 programme and work to maximise
our relationship with the Bath Festival which has emerged financially weakened from the pandemic.

Core responsibilities:
● Guide the BFO as it seeks to define its USP with analysis of audiences, competitors and
international and regional opportunities
● Working close with the Artistic Director and Chairman Charles Lewington, take lead
responsibility for, and day to day management of, all BFO activities
● Review and then oversee freelance contracts that deliver education; concert management;
fixing; marketing; digital presence (including web); social media; press relations;
book-keeping
● Support Chair and Board in fund-raising endeavours, alongside a specialist trust and
foundations applicant writer and HNW consultant
● To reassure the Board that we deploy best practice governance, including safeguarding for
young people – from ages 11 to 30.
● Support Artistic Director in strategic partnership development
● Support Assistant Artistic Director Maren Bosma in personnel management; rehearsal
planning; artistic liaison; repertoire and artistic development
● Ensure payment of all invoices and musicians fees
● With AD and AAD plan artistic programmes; book and contract venues and guest artists (own
promotions)
● Research and sell BFO activities to third parties for profit (external hires)
● Deliver annual budgeting cycle and manage project budgets
● Attend all BFO concerts

Board objectives:
While these are not to be seen as KPIs of the role, the Chairman of the Board has set the following
short and medium-term objectives:
1. Lead a process to refresh and redefine the BFO’s brand and core messages by end Q3 – and
help the Board answer the question of the BFO’s ‘home base.’
2. Agree the plan and commercial terms for a new ‘residency’ at the Bath Festival in May 2023
(Q4)
3. Given 1, review the planned repertoire for 23/24 and provide challenge to our current
thinking. (Q3)
4. Review the service provided by all subcontractors to ensure the BFO punches above its
weight in marketing and PR.

Contact details

peter@bathfestivalorchestra.com
Bath Festival Orchestra
c/o The Old Farmhouse
Seagry Road
Sutton Benger
Wiltshire
SN15 4RX

Annual Conference

The next ABO conference will take place in Gateshead,
hosted by The Glasshouse ICM, from 5-7 February 2025.