Values
Our values guide the way we work. They act as a reminder of what matters to us as an organisation.
We revisited them in 2020, in consultation with young musicians, our staff team and trustees.
They are:
Diversity - We bring about greater diversity by driving musical inclusion and disabled representation
Community - We collaborate and support each other to make positive change happen
Creativity - We engage audiences through exciting music, made and shared in creative ways
Influence - We work alongside young disabled musicians to influence and challenge preconceptions
TEAM
Team
Barry Farrimond MBE (he/him)
CEO
Barry has over 10 year’s experience developing, strengthening and leading social enterprise and third-sector arts organisations and is respected as an authority on accessible music technology.
Doug Bott (he/him)
Musical Director
Doug has specialised in accessible music making for disabled people since 2000 and has extensive experience as a music leader, arts manager, consultant and trainer for a range of organisations.
Helen Stevens (she/her)
Operations Manager
Helen has worked in the not-for-profit and public sector since 2004, working across fundraising, event management, volunteer management and operations for some of the UK’s leading education and health charities.
Jonathan Westrup (he/him)
Education Manager
Jonathan has over 13 years experience working with disabled young people in music education. He has played a key role in developing accessible accreditation opportunities in music and worked extensively as a trainer and mentor for musicians and teachers in school settings
Julia Le (she/her)
Marketing & Communications Manager
Julia has worked on building brands through marketing communications for over 15 years, for both big brands and start-ups. Her experience spans a variety of sectors, from fmcg to finance through to social enterprise. She has worked in France, the UK, and New Zealand.
Ben Waller (he/him)
National Open Youth Orchestra Pastoral Support Officer
Ben has over 12 years experience working with the disabled community including project managing arts events, working in education, leading advocacy groups and delivering accessible music projects. He helps ensure that musicians’ needs are being met both socially and emotionally.
Charlie Groves (he/him)
National Open Youth Orchestra Assistant Musical Director
Charlie is an experienced music leader and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with young people in a large variety of settings including schools, music clubs, choirs and bands, in Bristol and beyond for the past 15 years.
Kate Duffy (she/her)
Administrative Assistant
Kate has worked supporting teams within the arts sector for 6 years. Her experience has been across a variety of organisations, from music management through to arts education institutions in both London and Bristol.