NYO welcomes Youth Trustees to the Board of Trustees

We’re delighted to announce the appointment of two Youth Trustees to the Board of Trustees, Hannah Rebecca Stell and Patrick Bevan.

As the UK’s leading organisation championing orchestral music as a powerful agent for teenage development, we believe young people should play a key role in shaping the future of NYO. That’s why we’re focussed on ensuring young people participate in key decision-making and bring new ideas to the boardroom.

To support us to achieve this, we’re delighted to announce the appointment of two Youth Trustees to the Board of Trustees, Hannah Rebecca Stell and Patrick Bevan. They will play a crucial role in governance, strategy and advocacy to ensure youth voice is at the heart of the organisation.

Hannah and Patrick are passionate advocates for the NYO community. Hannah began her NYO journey in 2015 on the first ever NYO Inspire Orchestra residency, later progressing to become Principal Trombone in the Orchestra. Patrick was an NYO musician for five years, holding numerous leadership roles in the Orchestra.

Both musicians will bring valuable experiences from inside and outside of the orchestral sector. Patrick now leads the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra and works for a global trading firm as a Quantitative Trader, following a maths degree at Cambridge University. Hannah is currently the Substitute Principal Trombone with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra in Finland and is the Young Persons’ Representative for the British Trombone Society. 

Let’s meet the new Youth Trustees: 

What inspires you in your role as a Youth Trustee? 

Hannah: “I am inspired by the energy that NYO generates! I have always been blown away by the power of hundreds of young musicians creating music together. They inspire me to continue to advocate for youth music. I benefited from initiatives provided by NYO and I want to ensure that future generations can continue to gain valuable experiences from the organisation.” 

Patrick: “Being in the orchestra changed my life. I feel privileged to have benefited from such amazing musical experiences and I gained invaluable life skills. In my role as Youth Trustee, I want to help others have the same opportunities. I want to make classical music accessible to as many young people as possible.” 

What’s your favourite NYO memory? 

Hannah: “So many memories to choose from! One that stands out to me is playing an improvised solo in Mason Bates’s electronic piece, ‘Mothership’ or performing with steelpan player, Luke Walker. This experience was incredibly fulfilling and encouraged me to approach orchestral music from a new angle.” 

Patrick: “Playing at the Royal Albert Hall in the BBC Proms is a highlight, and I feel very lucky to have been able to do this on five occasions. The atmosphere is electric, performing in front of one of the most engaged audiences in the world while being broadcast simultaneously on BBC Radio and TV. Leading the Orchestra at the Proms in 2018 is my favourite memory from my time as an NYO musician.” 

Patrick and Hannah join six other trustees who bring a huge amount of experience, across sectors. Let’s meet the rest of the Board of Trustees: 

Chair of the Board of Trustees, Chris Satterthwaite CBE is non-executive chairman of Access Intelligence and Zinc Media. He was chief executive of Chime Communications and is the former chairman of the Roundhouse, Dulwich Picture Gallery and The Watts Gallery. He is currently a trustee of QEST and was awarded a CBE in 2016 for services to the arts.  

Lyn Fletcher has enjoyed a distinguished career as a violinist for more than 40 years, leading several major British orchestras. She teaches young violinists and regularly coaches the strings in orchestral music at the Royal Northern College of Music. 

Mazdak Sanii is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Avant Arte, a platform that partners with leading artists and international museums. He has also held roles as Board Member and COO of leading online music community, Boiler Room and worked at Rothschild & Company, advising companies on growth strategy and financing. 

Vyla Rollins is an award-winning organisational psychologist, Executive Director of the Leadership Institute at the London Business School and the Managing Director of Rubato Global Consulting Ltd. We’d like to congratulate Vyla on becoming the new Chair of the Board of Trustees at Clore Social Leadership. 

Steve Sacks is President of the Advisory Board for the Arts and has over 30 years’ experience in business and the arts. He has held roles as a partner at McKinsey and Company, the UK Chief Customer Officer of Burberry PLC and the Customer and Digital Director of Selfridges and Co, among many other leadership positions. 

Nicola Brentnall MVO is a philanthropy advisor and Chief Executive Officer of Ajaz.org. Nicola was a Director of The Queen’s Trust and Co-Founder and CEO for The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust. She has held leading roles for Beat and the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation.