Roberts will also lead the launch of the competition's 2020 International Piano Festival.
Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition has announced the appointment of Ian Roberts as its new Managing Director.
Roberts, well known for over 20 years’ experience in the music industry, has worked extensively in the UK and European live and recorded music sector including almost a decade at Warner Classics and Jazz and festivals including The Reeperbahn Festival, Hop Farm Festival, the Commonwealth Games Arts Festival and Hamburg on Tour. During his career, Roberts has supported the development of a range of music artists, venues and events including Nicola Benedetti, Michael Kamen, Jennifer Pike, Amy Dickson, Elbphilharmonie, Chichester Cathedral Choir and is currently a consultant to The Musicians’ Company in the City of London, and Hamburg Marketing in Germany.
Roberts has already appointed a new General Manager Hannah Deeble, who will support him working across the competition, International Piano Festival and his portfolio of music arts and business clients. Deeble is well known as both a musician and arts administrator having managed the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition and toured extensively with Tori Amos, Jools Holland and Beth Orton.
Fumiya Koido won this year's Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition
Of his appointment, Roberts said," Says Roberts of his appointment “I am excited to be leading this innovative music organisation into the next stage of their development, having grown from a national piano competition to an internationally renowned event. I am looking forward to seeing my own plans for a truly eclectic international piano festival coming to fruition, and my priority for the coming year will be to create music education opportunities, via an extensive calendar of community engagement and free and affordable tickets to young audiences.”
The 2020 Hastings International Piano Festival takes place in the last week of February and 1st week of March next year in multiple venues in and around Hastings and the programme of events will be announced in the coming months. The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition returns in 2021 with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.