Board members
Priti Paintal – Artistic Director
Priti Paintal was born in New Delhi, India learning piano as a child and later sitar and tabla, and is regarded as a pioneer in the field of cross-cultural music. Born into that includes musicians, eminent scientists and doctors, she studied piano and composition in India where The British Council heard her perform with the Delhi Symphony Orchestra and offered her the chance to train formally in music composition.
Paul Patterson – British Music Collection
Paul Patterson is one of the most versatile, successful and internationally-respected British composers of his generation. All the major orchestras in the UK, and in numerous countries abroad, have performed his works, as have eminent ensembles and international soloists. He has a substantial discography, has been the featured composer at many festivals both in the UK and abroad, and has also been BBC Composer of the Week. Music-lovers worldwide enjoy his music as it never alienates – rather, creates an enriching experience that draws both audiences and performers in.
His substantial oeuvre, which includes several prestigious commissions, is stylistically varied; he is known for his sympathetic and often humorous writing for instruments, making a popular and successful name for himself in the choral, brass, organ, orchestral, concerti and children’s music. His composition style of challenging but idiomatic writing has resulted in many of his solo works have been chosen as set pieces for international competitions in Europe, Australia, Israel, Thailand and the USA.
Patterson’s increasing international reputation as one of the foremost contemporary composers for the harp began with the popularity of Spiders. More works are being commissioned currently, and was invited to be the featured composer at the International Harp Congress in Hong Kong in 2017, his 70th birthday year.
Over the course of his career, Patterson has made significant contributions to many of the country’s leading musical institutions. At the Royal Academy of Music he initiated a pioneering series of annual Composer Festivals – an idea swiftly emulated elsewhere. He is a fellow of many of the UK’s leading music colleges and has received several awards in recognition of his services to music.
Jiella Esmat – Founder & CEO, 8 Lions
Jiella has been at the forefront of global content distribution for over two decades, pioneering the use of technology to connect audiences with film and television. Her career spans senior roles at Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal, Legendary Entertainment, and British kids’ entertainment unicorn Moonbug, where she’s scaled some of the world’s most iconic IP.
As Founder and CEO of 8 Lions, Jiella leads a diverse team building digital-first franchises for kids and teens. Their mission is to create globally resonant, data-informed properties that inspire and entertain – shaping the future of youth entertainment across cultures, from the East and Middle East to the West.
Anoohya Anoohya – Engagement and Wellbeing coordinator
Abena Akuffo-Kelly
Theadora Stewart
Preeti Dasgupta
Stephen David Hedley
Staff members
Wendy Catterick – Community Development Manager
Cherie Ward – Festival Producer