Arcangelo has, since its formation just over a decade ago, become one of the world’s leading period orchestral ensembles, excelling with both historical and modern instruments. Under the leadership of its internationally-regarded artistic director and founder, Jonathan Cohen, its ethos is that of applying the deep listening skills and artistry of chamber music to every piece in its repertoire, from intimate trio sonatas to major oratorios.

From the outset, Arcangelo has appeared by invitation at the world’s leading halls and venues, including Carnegie Hall, Barbican Centre, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Salzburg Festival, and three appearances at the BBC Proms. The ensemble’s London home is Wigmore Hall, where it was the first-ever named Baroque Ensemble in Residence. Arcangelo has an unusually extensive and award-winning discography, with recordings reaching No. 1 in the UK specialist classical chart, a BBC Music Magazine award, and two Gramophone Award-winning albums, the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and a GRAMMY nomination.

Widely recognised as producing a quality of musicianship that has made the ensemble in high demand as a partner for soloists, Arcangelo has also been an incubator for young talent, consistently working with soloists at breakthrough career moments. Having launched its Arcangelo New Ensemblists programme in 2020, the future of period performance has never been in safer hands.

Arcangelo’s recent successes include two concerts (Barbican Centre, De Singel) and a studio recording of Handel’s Theodora in March-April 2023, and 2021’s televised BBC Proms performance of Bach’s St Matthew Passion. This summer, Arcangelo makes its debut at the Santander International Festival and embarks on a seven-city tour of South America – the first UK orchestra to tour the continent in four years. 2023-24 season highlights include a UK tour with guitarist Miloš Karadaglić, and the completion of a landmark three-volume recording of the complete cello concerti of Luigi Boccherini.

In 2020, the Trustees of Arcangelo agreed an ambitious new strategic plan to carry the ensemble’s development forward into its second decade, including new artistic projects, extended UK and European partnerships and an innovative young artist programme. Overseen by Rosalyn Wilkinson, Arcangelo rapidly carried out this strategic plan, continuing with its organisational review during the pandemic as planned. Having successfully weathered the pandemic, Arcangelo has augmented and upgraded its fundraising engine to create an extended, diversified and more engaged platform of financial support through individual donors and trusts and foundations. Artistic planning has been comprehensively developed, with programming and sales discussions now working confidently through to the 25-26 season.

At the next Board strategy meeting in June, Arcangelo’s trustees will be making the preparatory steps required before forming their next 4-year strategy plan. The new Chair will play an integral role in both formulating this new strategic plan and overseeing its execution in the years to come. The new Chair will also lead the Board and join its Development Sub-Committee. This is in addition to the usual Trustee responsibilities of governance and oversight of the charity’s activities and finances, guidance in strategic discussions, attending performances, bringing guests, and introducing new potential supporters.

Above all, the new Chair will act as an ambassador for the ensemble, leveraging their personal networks to support Arcangelo and its exciting upcoming projects. The ensemble is looking for a Chair who will bring their enthusiasm and experience in an active way that extends the reach of the charity, contributing their ideas, suggestions, support, and time to make a difference.

As Arcangelo looks towards the next decade, it seeks a new Chair to drive consensus and lead the Board as it establishes its evolving strategy. Applicants will have strong interest and enthusiasm for historically informed performance of Baroque and Classical instrumental and vocal music, and for Arcangelo’s chamber ethos.

Applicants may have experience of, or relevant to, networking private donors, gaining and retaining supporters, or extending the reach of appeals. As valuable, however, will be a willingness to put energy and time into finding solutions to these challenges, including leveraging personal networks in the service of the artistic ambitions of Arcangelo. The successful candidates will be those with a real enthusiasm for what the charity does, for the music and the music-making. Previous Board experience is required, but applications from first-time Chairs are welcomed.

Above all, candidates will be excited to join the Board at this key strategic moment, develop Arcangelo's strategic plan, and work closely with the board, Artistic Director and General Manager to shape Arcangelo’s second decade.

Rosalyn Wilkinson, (outgoing Chair)
Alexandra Buck
Jonathan Cohen
Roger Mayhew

David Rockwell
Clive Porter
Melissa de-Fry
Carolyn Maddox

You can read more about the Board of Trustees here.

This role is unremunerated; reasonable, pre-agreed domestic travel expenses will be reimbursed. In normal times, the Board meets in person, in London, four times per year; meetings take place on weekdays usually at 18:00 or 18:30 and last for two hours. One of these meetings is an AGM. In addition, there are four Development sub-committee meetings per year, which take place online. There will also be ad-hoc events and concerts, which the Chair would be expected to attend. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed at the discretion of the Board.

As Board meetings take place in central London, candidates will either be London based or willing to travel for Board meetings and events.

Arcangelo welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. It is committed to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices and it positively encourages applications from all sectors of the community. As younger people are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those candidates would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process.