BBT Announcement
NEW BBT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The Borletti-Buitoni Trust, which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year, is pleased to announce the appointment of Toby Smith as its new Chief Executive, following the retirement of Susan Rivers who has run the Trust since it was founded.
Toby Smith has over 25 years’ experience in artistic and executive leadership roles in classical music and multi-arts environments including a nine year tenure as Director of Performance and Programming at Royal Northern College of Music and Festival Director of Salisbury International Arts Festival. As well as a deep and wide-ranging knowledge of music (he has a first class honours degree in music from the University of York and co-founded the Early Opera Company with conductor Christian Curnyn), he has extensive experience of working with young musicians during his time at RNCM, and with international artists, most recently at Greenwich + Docklands International Festival and Global Streets for FESTIVAL.ORG.
Toby Smith comments: “So many of BBT’s artists speak very warmly of the bespoke ways in which the Trust has offered them space to reflect and to experiment at a crucial time in their development, and the Trust’s more recent championing of extraordinary organisations who are connecting with the most marginalised communities through music is a success story to be celebrated and shared. Beyond exploring the rich counterpoint between these strands of the Trust’s work, I see BBT as perfectly positioned to nurture the leaders of a future where classical music’s remit and reach is broad, urgent, relevant and inclusive. I am so looking forward to building on everything that Susan has achieved over the last 20 years, working alongside Ilaria Borletti Buitoni, the brilliant BBT team and its growing family of talented artists and visionary organisations around the globe.”
Susan Rivers, who has worked for over 50 years in the classical music business, has been instrumental in establishing BBT as a foundation that not only gives financial assistance to young musicians, but also support, guidance and counsel in every possible way. In addition to custodianship of projects for individual BBT award-winners, she has established many BBT partnerships and led initiatives in the areas of recording, commissioning, performance, international touring, and special events that provide oppportunities to encourage collaboration among BBT Artists and showcase their collective talents.
Susan comments: “What a wonderful journey it has been since 2002 when I was asked to help set up the Trust. It has been a privilege to assist our BBT Artists around the world in so many different ways and to see them flourish. More recently, personally witnessing our support of BBT Communities making a difference to disadvantaged people’s lives through music has often moved me to tears. I am also delighted that we are able to remember Franco Buitoni’s passion for music through the Franco Buitoni Award. I would like to thank all my colleagues at BBT for their hard work and support. I wish Toby every success for the future as I am sure he will continue to nurture the BBT family with the utmost care and consideration.”
Ilaria Borletti Buitoni, co-founder of BBT with her late husband Franco Buitoni, commented: “From the outset, the single most important role of BBT has been to support talented young musicians and enable music-making of the very highest quality. Susan’s passionate leadership and commitment to our artists and communities has achieved more than I could ever have imagined when we first had the idea of setting up the Trust. We all recognise her dedication and generosity of spirit in everything she does and I am pleased to announce that she has accepted our invitation to become a future BBT Trustee.
“The search for her successor has given us the opportunity to meet many interesting and very able candidates which, I must say, gives me hope for the future of classical music and the arts. I have every confidence that we have made an excellent choice in Toby and we look forward to working together to take BBT into the future, to sustain and further develop our pledges to help young artists and communities.”
Toby Smith takes up his position with BBT in January 2024 and Susan Rivers joins the board of Trustees in April 2024.