Roger Wright, currently controller of BBC Radio 3 and director of the BBC Proms, has been appointed the new chief executive of Aldeburgh Music, taking over from Jonathan Reekie.

Roger Wright, aged 57, will be taking over the role from the beginning of September. Aldeburgh Music is one of the leading music organisations in Europe. It stages the Aldeburgh Festival, founded by Benjamin Britten, each year as well as the Snape Proms throughout August, the Celebration of Suffolk Schools Music festival in March and the Britten Festival in November.

It also runs the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme, formerly the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies, and Aldeburgh Young Musicians, which nurtures young musical talent from school age right through to post-graduate studies.

Although, Aldeburgh Music has a reputation for championing classical music, it also has been developing a broader range of music with its Faster Than Sound programme. It also commissions a number of contemporary composers to produce a series of new works each year which are frequently unveiled as part of the Aldeburgh Festival.

Roger Wright has a frequent visitor to the Aldeburgh Festival and has a lot of experience of nuturing talent and programming live events from his work at the BBC and with the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.

Commenting on the appointment, Chairman of the Council of Aldeburgh Music, Simon Robey said “Roger knows and loves Aldeburgh Music and understands its particular place in the artistic and wider life of its region, as well as its national and international role. He will bring an exceptional breadth and depth of experience to all we do. I am confident that, building on the remarkable achievements of his predecessor, Jonathan Reekie, he will lead Aldeburgh Music to even greater heights. I am very excited about the future of this extraordinary place.”

Roger Wright said “It is a huge honour to be asked to lead Aldeburgh Music in this next period of its development, following the highly successful celebration of the Britten centenary. I look forward to working in such a unique environment with its distinguished heritage, and in an organisation so committed to education and high quality music making.”

Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, welcomed the appointment. He said “Aldeburgh Music plays a vital role in the arts in East Anglia, as well as nationally and internationally. It’s wonderful that Roger, an arts leader of vision and of huge international standing, is taking over as Chief Executive. Roger understands both artists and audiences, is not afraid to challenge, and to take us to unexpected places. I look forward to continuing our partnership to bring great music and art to East Anglia and to the world.”