Today, Sound and Music is delighted to announce Will Dutta as the new Chief Executive of Sound and Music, where he has been the charity’s Co-Head of Artist Development since 2018.
Dutta is a passionate and entrepreneurial artist and composer with a restless inventiveness for the how and why we make sound. His breadth of work has reached all corners of the music industry: from performances, such as Ether Festival at Southbank Centre, to stage managing Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra, to publishing original research, and producing two studio albums, Parergon (Just Music, 2012) and bloom (SWD, 2017), that feature collaborations with Plaid and Friendly Fires’ front-man Ed Macfarlane. Over a 15-year career he has supported the creation of radical new work with far-reaching impact, including Gabriel Prokofiev’s now iconic Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra. He was creative director of the concert production of The Little Prince, composed by the late-Nicholas Lloyd Webber and James D Reid, and his studio’s most recent production, Roshanarar bagan, an immersive exhibition that explores decadence in the context of the attention industry, recently ended a five week-run at the Austrian Cultural Forum London.
Dutta, who is of British-Bengali background, is a Fellow of the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Kent where he is exploring human and machine creativity, and he recently held teaching positions at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and The King’s School in Canterbury. He has a PhD in Creative Practice (Music) from City, University of London.
Will Dutta said: “Sound and Music has become a highly trusted and valued organisation within the new music community under the leadership of Susanna Eastburn MBE. I am honoured and excited to be entrusted to build on her achievements, to continue our vital campaigning work on fair access, build on our empowering work with schools, and make Sound and Music the basecamp for composers and creators who want to be at the frontier of new music and sound.”
Greg Davies, Chair of Trustees at Sound and Music, said: “It is an all too rare boost for an organisation to go through an extensive external competitive search for a new leader and discover that the absolutely best person for the job is already with you! Will lives and breathes what Sound and Music stands for, not just in his work with us since 2018, but throughout his impressive background which combines being a practicing musician, creator, producer, educator, fundraiser, impresario, and colleague. I’m very excited to appoint Will to this important role and hugely look forward to working with him to push the frontiers of new music and sound.”
Jo Thomas, composer and Vice-Chair of Trustees at Sound and Music, said: “I am thrilled that Will Dutta will lead Sound and Music into its next journey. Will is a formidable talent who shines. He has worked hard to achieve his visions and supported others to achieve theirs. His belief, thoughtfulness and care for music will be a great asset to this charity.”
Sound and Music will be sharing more about Will Dutta’s vision and our future ambitions in the coming months.
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact: marketing@soundandmusic.org