join our board as a trustee

We’re looking for new Trustees to join the Board of Nonclassical – a pioneering music charity and record label supporting experimental, electronic, and contemporary classical music.

As a Trustee, you’ll play a vital role in guiding our strategic direction, championing our mission, and supporting our work to amplify underrepresented voices across the music and cultural sectors.

We’re especially keen to hear from individuals with experience in the music industry, fundraising, finance, youth engagement, HR, charity governance, or as practicing artists. If you’re passionate about the arts and want to help shape the future of bold, boundary-pushing music, we’d love to hear from you.

Nonclassical is looking for passionate and enthusiastic people to join our Board of Trustees. This is an exciting and important time in Nonclassical’s journey as we aim to build resilience, grow and look for new opportunities for the future.

2024 was a momentous milestone for Nonclassical, marking twenty years since being founded by Gabriel Prokofiev with a launch event for the release of his string quartets and remixes at Cargo, East London.

Fast forward twenty years and we have released a whopping 70 releases, developed 16 composers, showcased over 80 acts from across the UK through Battle of the Bands and produced 150 events from London to Japan in the last decade alone. Our digital community has grown to 26,000 strong and we’ve received press from Wall Street Journal through to Pitchfork and The Guardian for our work.    

For a DIY charity without core funding, we have stayed true to our values of being accessible, collaborative, discerning, forward-thinking and inclusive - being uncompromising musically and platforming artists at the cutting edge of new classical, electronic and experimental music through our record label and events. In 2023/24 we worked with 76.5% non-white artists, 16.5% disabled artists with 50% from gender minority groups

who we are

Nonclassical produces and promotes adventurous classical and electronic music, supporting emerging and mid-career artists to develop their careers and creative output by releasing music on our label and promoting it in live and digital contexts. 

We make a direct and positive impact on contemporary culture by enabling work that is not easily categorised to be developed, championed or commodified. We challenge the boundaries of what classical music can be, expanding the voices creating and engaging with it to better represent Britain, adapting the means for its discovery as we see fit. 

Across our work we seek to be accessible, collaborative, discerning, inclusive and forward-thinking. As an incubator and beacon for adventurous new music, we are highly curious, nimble and collaborative in showcasing forward-thinking music, be it with amateur and professional ensembles (UK-wide Contemporary Music for All or Southbank Sinfonia), platforms (I Care If You Listen magazine, Barbican Centre, Sounds Like This, Leeds), Higher Education Institutes (Nottingham University or Royal Northern College of Music’s Centre for Practice & Research in Science & Music) or other partners (African Concert Series or Verbier Festival). 

current trustees

Read more about them here.

• Allen Davey CBE

• Aileen Douthwaite

• Karen Lee

• William Norris (Chair)

Special Advisors

• Jessica Cottis

Who we’re looking for

We are looking for trustees who can:

• Champion the charity’s mission and vision, with a commitment to fulfilling your duties and responsibilities for effective governance (see here for more information)

• Develop and sustain effective external relationships which support the charity’s mission, through generating income and partnership opportunities

• Act as an ambassador for the organisation, in concert with the Executive team

• Work with colleagues to ensure financial probity and that all resources are focussed on achieving the aims and objectives of the Charity for the benefit of those it supports

• Actively contribute to the organisation’s direction and strategy 

• Establish and maintain strong, effective and constructive relationships with the executive team

We are particularly seeking those with skills / experience / interests in:

• Fundraising/ income generation 

• HR

• Label Management

• Youth Voice

• Helping to raise the profile of and advocating for Nonclassical

• Music and/or wider arts/ cultural sector 

• Charity finance 

• Charity governance 

• A passion for/knowledge of new/experimental contemporary music including practising and/or established artists

the commitment

Subject to board approval, new trustees will be appointed for a first term of three years with the potential for reappointment for two further terms. 

The role is voluntary (unpaid) although expenses including travel and dependent care can be reimbursed.

There are typically four Board meetings per year, in addition to an Away Day. Some Board members are also invited to join one of our committees, including our Artistic, Label, Fundraising, or Finance Committees.

recruitment process

Applications deadline: Friday 4 July 2025 at 9am BST

We are particularly keen to hear from candidates from backgrounds currently underrepresented in the creative industries due to barriers linked to ethnicity, class, disability or gender. 

You can find out more about becoming a Charity Trustee on the UK Government website here or Charities Commission website here.

To be considered for this voluntary role, please complete your application via our Google Form below, detailing your interest in the role and what skills you would bring to Nonclassical. We accept written, audio and/or video applications.

timeline summary

• Application deadline: Friday 4 July (9am)

• First round interviews: 23rd - 25th July (online)

• Second round interviews: 6 - 8 August (in person, in London)

• Board of Trustees meeting: Wednesday 17th September (4-6pm)

  with potential Away Day the same day

queries

If you have any questions about the role, the application process, or would like to have an informal, no-pressure chat before applying, please get in touch. We’re happy to accommodate access needs and offer the application in alternative formats (e.g. audio or video).

Natalia Franklin Pierce
Executive Director, Nonclassical
Email: natalia@nonclassical.co.uk

William Norris
Chair of the Board
Email: william@nonclassical.co.uk

Thank you for your interest.