BPA chief executive Roger Wright awarded knighthood

Britten Pears Arts (BPA) chief executive Roger Wright CBE has been awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours List for his services to music. He was honoured for his ‘broad and exceptional contribution’ to the country’s musical culture.

Wright became the chief executive of Aldeburgh Music in 2014 and oversaw the acquisition of Snape Maltings (formerly Aldeburgh Music) in 2015 and its merger with the Britten Pears Foundation in 2020 to form BPA. In his tenure, Wright has supported local and regional music education while providing opportunities to young British and international musicians at BPA’s Aldeburgh Festival on the Suffolk coast.

Wright said he was ‘humbled’ to be awarded the knighthood. ‘I am privileged to work with a remarkable team of colleagues at Britten Pears Arts and this award is as much a recognition for their hard work and commitment as it is for me. We all believe strongly in the power of music and the arts to transform people’s lives and it has been a deep joy for me to lead this unique organisation over the last decade.’

Beginning his professional career in 1978 at the British Music Information Centre, Wright went on to have a broad cultural leadership experience with organisations including BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms.

After a decade of leading BPA, Wright steps down as chief executive in July and will be succeeded by Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival chief executive Andrew Comben.