Music Masters appoints new chair

Music education charity Music Masters has announced the appointed of Stuart Mason to the role of chair of its board of trustees. Mason succeeds Simon Freakley who steps down after 12 years in the role, and will help increase the charity’s impact on a national scale.

Currently on the board of trustees at Music Masters and Wigmore Hall, Mason (pictured below) also serves as senior vice president commercial at global luxury travel company Belmond. With his wife, author and academic Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, Mason has raised seven creative children, Isata, Braimah, Konya, Jeneba, Aminata, Mariatu and Sheku, who became the Music Masters’ patron in February of this year.

Stuart Mason said: ‘I’m not sure I would have the same confidence in the corporate world today had I not had the experience of performing - for family, at school, at festivals. I joined the Goldsmiths Youth Orchestra, which was free on a Saturday. There were children from private schools. There were children from council estates. The talent was the same. That was a massive life lesson for me. In our family, we know what it means to have help along the way. We couldn’t always afford lessons or instruments for all the children. We experienced some extraordinary acts of generosity. As Chair of Music Masters - I’d love to give back. Becoming chair allows me to lend my voice to a wonderful cause. I want to share the Music Masters story.’

Mason succeeds Simon Freakley, chief executive officer at AlixPartners. With Freakley’s support the charity has seen a period of growth including the launch of initiatives including Diversity and Inclusion programme I’M IN, and postgraduate teacher training qualification, Musicians of Change (PGCEi).

With Mason at the helm, Music Masters intends to increase its impact on a national scale with new activity with schools, teachers and the music sector, as well as through partnership-building to ‘address the systemic issues that affect access to music education and opportunities for young people’.

Music Masters CEO Roz De Vile said: ‘Stuart is a remarkable role model who truly believes that every child deserves to experience the joy and wide socio-emotional and educational benefits that music can provide. He is a superb successor to Simon, who has been a huge part of Music Masters’ story and success since 2012, and to whom we are exceptionally grateful. Stuart steps into the role of Chair at an exciting time for Music Masters and I look forward to working side-by-side with him as we seek to bring high quality musical opportunity to thousands more children and young people across the UK.’