Breaking: All change at Aldeburgh
NewsWe hear that Roger Wright will be stepping down next summer after ten years as Chief Executive of Britten Pears Arts, which embraces Snape Maltings, The Red House and the Aldeburgh Festival, which has just enjoyed its best year.
Roger will be 68 and ready for one last big job, having previously headed BBC Radio 3 and the Proms.
This looks like pretty good timing.
UPDATE: It’s official –
A message from Roger Wright:
After what will be a decade here, it feels that next July, after the 75th Aldeburgh Festival, is the right time for me to move on and enjoy a new more flexible life for the first time in almost fifty years. I look forward to my final year with Britten Pears Arts with ongoing vim and vigour. It is a pleasure and privilege to work in this unique organisation and although it is too early for farewells, I shall always treasure and be grateful for the chance to lead Britten Pears Arts through such an important period in its history.
Sir Simon Robey, Chair of Britten Pears Arts, comments:
“We are all delighted to have Roger with us for another 12 months so that he can lead the organisation through our anniversary year after the outstanding success of this year’s Festival. There will be time to acknowledge Roger’s extraordinary contribution to our organisation over a decade of transformational change and development. I will begin the process of finding a successor with the Board in the autumn.”
I remember him from his days at the British Music Information Centre in Stratford Place where he was unfailingly kind and helpful in finding scores and recordings for me. Nothing was too much trouble for him and I’m sure these qualities , apparent then, have been central to his very successful career to date.
Yes, I first knew Roger at the BMIC back then and I concur with your assessment. We’re still in touch! Didn’t he do well?
I have very similar memories of him at bmic. How awful it’s gone !! Who makes these dreadful decisions. !!! Best wishes. Warren
Head of Arts Council England. At least he knows the business.
We worked together at The Cleveland Orchestra from 1989 until he moved on to DG, and have stayed in touch. One of my favorite people on the planet. And I don’t just say that because he sent me free DG cd’s. Roger, I will come see you at Aldeburgh before your departure.
Oh, that’s a shock, though once you know it makes sense. It might seem an odd thing to pick on here and as he said it’s too early for farewell remarks but one thing (of many) that he did was to keep concert prices remarkably low. Quite something that.
A can-do, in an era of cants