Birmingham Contemporary Music Group seeks a Chair for their board of trustees. 

This is a unique opportunity to work with this pioneering and innovative contemporary music ensemble, and take it to its next stage of development. As Chair, you will work closely with the Chief Executive/Artistic Director and Board members, to take forward the strong heritage of the last 37 years and build an even more successful future.

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG) is one of the world’s foremost new music ensembles. Since its foundation in 1987 by musicians Simon Clugston and Ulrich Heinen, with Sir Simon Rattle as founding patron, BCMG was soon leading the field with brilliant commissions, innovative collaborations and an inspirational learning programme. BCMG has achieved and maintained their outstanding reputation by reaching more than 10 million people through concerts, broadcasts and events, performing over 500 concerts in venues across the UK, Europe, Mexico, India and the USA, commissioning and premiering over 200 new works by established composers and emerging talent and reaching more than 1,000 young people and families each year through its vibrant learning programme. Every year BCMG introduces more people to the world of contemporary music, expanding theirs and their audiences' perspectives.

 

Our Mission Statement

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group: Creating music for everyone and reflecting the beauty and challenges of our world today. Everything BCMG perform is new, created by living artists, responding directly to the world around us: today. It is influenced by things that matter to the artists and to society, right now. We uphold an unparalleled level of quality always, and all whilst making the contemporary accessible.We reflect values of our city: Birmingham champions the free exchange of ideas, is a product of all cultures and never settles.BCMG ensures the future of music as a living artform. We empower everyone to engage with the world around them through creativity:

• We commission the world’s best living composers;
• We nurture the next generation of emerging artists;
• We support young people to change their lives through creativity;
• We inspire audiences across the UK;
• We showcase the best professional musicians;
• We embrace change, question the ordinary and celebrate brave choices.

We focus our work across three core strands: commissioning artists to compose new music for us to perform, touring this work nationally and internationally, and working with young people.

Commissioning
The foundation of our work is commissioning the best living composers in the world to write new music for BCMG to perform.
BCMG have played a vital role in establishing a prestigious heritage of artistic excellence and a vibrant catalogue of new works. We nurture with the most promising emerging artists, providing a platform for their work. For established composers already commissioned by the world’s top orchestras, we ensure exceptional artistic quality. We provide space and support for all composers to realise their creative vision in full, to be bold and to take risks.

Our celebrated Sound Investment crowdfunding offers members of the public the opportunity to support new commissions financially in exchange for benefits. This has been a huge success and allows us to commission many more pieces than we could otherwise.

International Partnerships
BCMG engage the best musicians from all cultures across the globe, including those who are experts on their culture’s own traditional instruments. We foster long term partnerships that reflect the cultural diversity of our city, bringing the finest of the global arts to Birmingham. Our international collaboration has included:

• Hosting musicians from Pakistan and Bangladesh to perform, with BCMG, on traditional instruments;
• Sending young UK composers to Tokyo to learn about the ancient tradition of Japanese Noh theatre and to write new music inspired by their trip for BCMG to perform, in Birmingham;
• Reciprocal working and exchange with other cultural organisations including those in China, South Korea, Germany, France, Italy and beyond;
• Touring to United States, India, Mexico, Russia and Europe.

Working with young people – BCMG Learn & Take Part
BCMG has an award winning Learn & Take Part programme which reaches thousands of young people across Birmingham and beyond every year. We host free workshops for young people between the ages of 7 and 18 to compose their own music with professional musicians. BCMG also works closely with schools across the West Midlands and nationally, recently concluding a significant research project with academics and teachers to vastly improve composition in schools across the country and address shortcomings in the national curriculum.

Our work with University of Cambridge, University of Birmingham, and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire universities gives undergraduate composers the opportunity to compose for the main ensemble, to have their music workshopped and to receive feedback on their work from our musicians.

BCMG receives funding for its work from: 

• Arts Council England: BCMG is currently a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) in our final year of this funding period. BCMG are in the process of applying to secure NPO status for the coming years.
• The Paul Hamlyn Foundation have provided a large grant for the next three years in support of a research project titled “Listen, Imagine, Compose Primary”, exploring how children learn composition in a school environment. 
• Numerous grants from charitable trusts and foundations
• Individual donors to the Sound Investment scheme provide crucial funds for new commissions the scheme gives donors a unique experience in funding specific new music and gaining insight into the process from composition to world premiere. 
  
  Over the coming year BCMG are hoping to explore new avenues of fundraising including gaining corporate support from local business and branching out into different methods of individual and online giving. 

 

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The Chair

Role Description

• Lead the Board in providing strategic direction for the organisation and ensure that this is monitored by the Board. Ensure areas of responsibility delegated to the Executive are clearly identified
• Chair in Birmingham meetings of the Board (minimum of four per year), report annually to the AGM and act as required in between Board meetings in consultation with other Board Members
• Oversee the recruitment of new Board members to ensure that the make-up of the Board embraces a wide range of skills
• Be the ultimate authority in ensuring that the organisation complies with all its legal and financial responsibilities, including resolving any conflicts of interest or failings of duty which may occur within the Board
• Lead the appointment of the Chief Executive/Artistic Director when a vacancy occurs. Support and challenge the work of the Chief Executive/Artistic Director and carry out his/her annual appraisal

We are looking for a candidate who has the following qualities:

• An understanding of the importance of the contemporary arts and an openness to contemporary music; an understanding of their non-commercial value and a general appreciation of new work
• Excellent advocacy skills; a wide range and broad balance of contacts and a willingness to utilise known and new networks as potential sources of funding for the organisation
• A proven ability to develop and lead a diverse range of people, serving on the Board and in the senior executive, to work to their strengths and secure the maximum benefit for the organization
• An interest in the diverse make-up of British society and in the opportunities this affords the Arts
• A proven ability to successfully oversee change, both within an organisation and in response to changing circumstances within a sector

And these additional characteristics would be desirable:

• Experience of international working
• Previous experience chairing an organisation
• An interest in contemporary music and experience of meeting performing artists and composers
• Knowledge of Birmingham and the West Midlands

The Time Commitment:

The Chair’s responsibilities equate to approximately 1.5 days a month. In addition to general support, this will include:

• Four board meetings a year in Birmingham, typically lasting 2-3 hours
• Occasional meetings of smaller working groups, where appropriate

Attendance at concerts and travel are in addition.

Additional Information:

• Upon commencing the position, the new chair will receive full induction to the organisation and role
• The Chair of Trustees is elected for 3 years, usually renewable for one further term
• Trustees are unremunerated but necessary expenses are reimbursed upon request

 Comments from Previous Chairs

“The greatest reward of being the Chair of BCMG has been the pride I’ve felt in the organisation’s achievements. It has been marvellous to represent the group in places like Washington, New York, Copenhagen, Cologne, Chennai, but also in the UK at major festivals and venues and in our home city of Birmingham. I’ve also immensely enjoyed meeting a huge range of musicians, artists and composers, not only those of the highest international standing, but young emerging talents.”

Stephen Saltaire, a former Chair

 

“Over some thirty years, BCMG has grown from an idea shared by two CBSO musicians and strongly supported by Simon Rattle, into one of Europe’s noted contemporary music ensembles. It has increasingly wide support in its home base of Birmingham where it presents a broad range of new music from around the world, and leads in the development of creative music-making by young people. BCMG attracts financial backing as well as strong encouragement from Arts Council England.”

Kenneth Baird, Acting Chair

 

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How to Apply

To apply for the position, please submit:

• A full copy of your CV
• A statement of interest indicating why you are interested and what you are able to bring to the organisation
• A completed Equal Opportunities Form (Download below)

We would prefer to receive applications electronically.

Your statement of interest should include details of relevant experience/interests, why you would like to be considered for this role and what you would contribute to BCMG’s Board of Trustees.

Please email applications to: [email protected]

Submissions are currently open and we plan to discuss the position with candidates in summer or autumnn 2024. We are looking to appoint the chair in Autumn 2024.

The Charity Commission prevents people from serving as a trustee if they:

• Have an unspent conviction for an offence involving dishonesty or deception
• Are currently declared bankrupt (or subject to bankruptcy restrictions or an interim order)
• Have an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) to pay off debts with creditors
• Are disqualified from being a company director
• Have previously been removed as a trustee by us or the High Court due to misconduct or mismanagement
• Are disqualified or barred from acting as a trustee of this charity under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Documents

Equal Opportunities Form (Word)

BCMG Info Pack (PDF)