Cheltenham Music Festival appoints Michael Duffy as Head of Programming

Michael Duffy will join Cheltenham Music Festival as its new head of Programming. Currently the British Council’s classical music programme manager, Duffy will join Cheltenham Music Festival in February 2022.

Michael Duffy studied Music at the University of Oxford and went on to work with a number of classical and contemporary classical music organisations and has worked on marketing and developing the audiences of festivals, creative learning programmes and touring productions. Named in shesaid.so’s 2019 Alternative Power 100 List of individuals working to support gender equality in the music industry, he is a champion of diversity and inclusion.

Duffy commented that his appointment ‘will be a return to a festival environment for me, and it’s especially exciting to work with Cheltenham Music Festival’s extraordinary legacy… I hope to spark innovative collaborations with exceptional artists and as part of the wider Cheltenham Festivals family.

In his current role, Duffy is responsible for the British Council’s music programme for the Americas, the EU and classical music showcasing. He has previously worked for Mahogany Opera Group, Spitalfields Music Festival and the London Sinfonietta.

Duffy will take over from Camilla King, who programmed the festival's 2021 offering during the pandemic, following her move to the role of executive producer at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. He said: ‘I start work in February delivering the programme Camilla King has already put in place. It will be a great opportunity to really get under the skin of the festival and start making longer-term plans.’

The 2022 Cheltenham Music Festival will take place across Cheltenham in July 2022. The programme for the 2022 Cheltenham Music Festival will be announced in March of next year.