Meet the Team

Andrew Burke
Chief Executive & Artistic Director

As Chief Executive, Andrew is responsible for the overall direction of the London Sinfonietta, and curates its artistic programme in collaboration with composers, artists and venue and festival partners. He has worked for the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Blackheath Halls. 

Best LS Moment?
There are far too many to pick one out. Working on the projects that the London Sinfonietta can produce is a dream. Every time we play a new work it feels like a privilege. Seeing audiences and young people get excited by projects is great. I think I have always enjoyed the more unusual, risky and new work. That's when I think I'm really doing the job.

Frances Bryant
General Manager

Fran oversees the business operations of the organisation via the week-by-week running of the management team. Her role includes responsibility for internal processes and policies, recruitment, training and development of staff and is Company Secretary for Sinfonietta Productions Ltd. 

Best LS Moment?
Everyone in the team and the audience being happy and exhilarated at our first live public concert in over a year (Kings Place, June 2021).  

Elizabeth Davies
Head of Finance

Elizabeth currently works part-time as Head of Finance, overseeing all aspects of the organisation’s finances and accounts. She studied music to postgraduate level, with a special interest in contemporary music, before moving into arts administration (working previously as Head of Administration & Finance and then General Manager for the London Sinfonietta). She is in the final stages of completing an accounting qualification.

Volker Schirp
Financial Assistant

Volker assists Elizabeth part-time in undertaking most of the key bookkeeping tasks and in helping to ensure the smooth running of the organisation’s financial administration. 

Best LS moment?
Sitting in a packed Royal Festival Hall with hundreds of excited primary school children engaging with contemporary music during a Sound Out Schools Concert.

Natalie Marchant
Head of Concerts & Production (Maternity Leave)

Natalie is responsible for the production of London Sinfonietta’s wide spectrum of performance activity; she joined the team in 2012.  

Best LS Moment?
Production of Tansy Davies and Nick Drake’s opera Cave at the Printworks in Canada Water with Mark Padmore and Elaine Mitchener. 
 

Madeleine Ridout
Events Producer

Madeleine is responsible for the production of London Sinfonietta’s wide spectrum of performance activity. She joined the team in 2022.

Lily Caunt
Head of Participation & Learning 

Lily joined London Sinfonietta in July 2022 and leads on creative projects involving the wider community – from school children to adults, giving everyone the opportunity to experience music and creativity with the London Sinfonietta.
 
Best LS moment?
London Sinfonietta Academy Concert 2022 – the culmination of hard work over the course of a week with young musicians taking on new music in an exciting programme which included Augusta Read Thomas’ Sun Dance. In her programme note she writes ‘unbreakable is the power of art to build community’, which beautifully sums up the work that my department does.

Rhuti Carr
Head of Participation & Learning (Maternity Leave)

Rhuti joined the London Sinfonietta in 2019 and leads on developing opportunities for young people and members of the public, especially those who wouldn't usually access the arts, to become involved in our work. 

Best LS moment?
Matthew Herbert collaborating with a group of teenagers from our North London music hub partners (delivered completely online!) to create a new work - The Melt - as part of Antarctic In Sight, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica and highlighting the current climate emergency. 

Aoife Allen
Participation & Learning Producer

Aoife supports Rhuti to engage schools, young people and members of the public in creative music making and to participate in London Sinfonietta's work.

Best LS moment?
Seeing a dress rehearsal of Bluebeard's Castle at Stone Nest! A wonderful venue and experience.

Eleanor Killner
Development and Events Assistant

Eleanor is part of the Development Team, managing the Pioneer membership scheme, organising member events and supporting funding opportunities.

Phoebe Walsh
Marketing Manager

Phoebe manages all elements of the London Sinfonietta's marketing, communications, branding and PR.

Best LS moment?
The anticipative hush in the Royal Festival Hall while the lights powered up at the beginning of our cycle-powered concert, Houses Slide, and the relief when it all worked and they came on!

Adam Flynn
Digital Productions Manager

Adam creates digital productions for the London Sinfonietta’s digital platforms as well as overseeing the implementation of the ensemble’s digital strategy.  

Best LS moment?
ReAssemble! London Sinfonietta’s first ever in-person live stream. An 8-hour marathon of performance, chat and film.