About Us

The Team

James Brown
Managing Director

James Brown was born in Yorkshire and studied the viola with Frederick Riddle at the Royal College of Music, during which time he won most of the major viola prizes, was Principal Viola of the RCM Symphony Orchestra and was Co-Principal Viola of the European Community Youth Orchestra.  During a six-year career as a professional violist he was the youngest member successively of the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Radio and London Philharmonic orchestras.

He founded Hazard Chase in 1990.  From 1993-1999 he was a Partner of N.W. Brown and Company, Hazard Chase's parent organisation at that time.  In October 1997 he was responsible for the acquisition by Hazard Chase of the business interests of Magenta Music International.  In November 1999, as Managing Director, he led a management buy-out of Hazard Chase. In January 2010 he was appointed Chairman of Orchid Classics, the record label in which Hazard Chase is a shareholder.

He is a consultant to the Woodhouse Centre at the Royal College of Music and a member of the Association Européene des Agents Artistiques.  He has been a speaker at numerous international conferences including Midem Classique, the Association of British Orchestras, the China Shanghai International Arts Festival Forum, the American Symphony Orchestra League and IAMA.

James was Chairman of the International Artist Managers' Association from 2003-2005.  In May 2007 he became an Honorary Member of the Royal College of Music.
james.brown@hazardchase.co.uk

Sibylle Jackson
Director: Artist Management

Sibylle studied History and Art History at University College London before completing an MPhil and a PhD at Cambridge University. Her doctoral thesis examined the revival of ancient music in Victorian England (as yet unpublished!). After working in the press office at the Dresden Music Festival she joined Hazard Chase in 1998. Since becoming an Artist Manager in 2000, Sibylle has worked predominantly with conductors and instrumentalists.

Sue Nicholls
Director: Vocal Division

Sue joined Hazard Chase in July 2000 to develop the vocal list and was appointed Director the following year. She began her career in music administration at the London Symphony Orchestra before joining Terry Harrison Artist Management. She worked for many years under the leadership of Tom Graham both at Harrison/Parrott and IMG Artists.
sue.nicholls@hazardchase.co.uk

Lucy Rice
Director: Artist Management

Lucy graduated from the University of York in 1994 with a BA (Hons) in Music.  As a singer at York she developed a real interest in old and new music. After graduating she spent a year as a spotlight operator at Chichester Festival Theatre. From 1995 - 1997 Lucy worked as tours and concert manager, and fixer for Philip Pickett, the New London Consort and the Musicians of the Globe. In 1997 she joined Magenta Music International as an Artist Manager and moved with the company to Hazard Chase Ltd. During her time at Hazard Chase she has managed The Tallis Scholars, Stephen Layton, and I Fagiolini. Lucy's current list includes The Hilliard Ensemble, Julian Bream and Michael Collins.
lucy.rice@hazardchase.co.uk

Roderick Thomson
Director: Artist & Project Management

Roderick Thomson joined Hazard Chase in January 2009.  Educated at Winchester College and Balliol College Oxford, his first experience in the business was at Victor Hochhauser Ltd before joining Van Walsum Management in 1981.  During a long and successful period with the company he worked in both the touring and artist management departments, specialising in the Asian market in particular.  He has also served for several years on the Board of the International Artist Managers’ Association.  With choristerships at Ripon Cathedral and St George’s Chapel Windsor, music has been part of his life from his earliest years; he still enjoys playing chamber music and jazz on his cello and bass.
roderick.thomson@hazardchase.co.uk

Libby Percival
Senior Artist & Event Manager

Libby Percival is Senior Artist and Events Manager at Hazard Chase Ltd. After training as a violinist and soprano, Libby graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Music before working with The King’s Consort and Robert King from 1999. She joined Hazard Chase in 2002 and has worked with a diverse range of artists and now manages The Tallis Scholars, Robert Hollingworth and I Fagiolini, the Escher String Quartet, pianist Noriko Ogawa and the vocal series 'Choral at Cadogan'. Specialising in innovative and diverse projects, sponsorship and recording projects, Libby now also oversees the developing events portfolio at Hazard Chase.
libby.percival@hazardchase.co.uk

Lucie Davienne
Artist Manager

Lucie was born in France.  She studied singing at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she obtained a BMus (Hons), before joining the Flanders Opera Studio, Belgium.  In the past eighteen months, Lucie has worked as a French language coach while also developing her skills in Artist Management.  She worked for IMG Artists immediately prior to joining the vocal department at Hazard Chase in June 2010 and became an artist manager in September 2011.  Lucie enjoys travelling, good food and wine!
lucie.davienne@hazardchase.co.uk

John McHugh
Artist Manager

Born in the Scottish Borders, John graduated from Aberdeen College of Education with LGSM, LGSM (GMT), LTCL, Dip. T. Mus., and subsequently taught for 3 years before returning to studies as a tenor at the Royal College of Music. After a brief but enjoyable period as a professional singer, he gave up singing and became retail and merchandise manager of the ENO Shop. John finally moved into artist management in 1997 and simultaneously decided to further his interest in language, by studying English and German with the Open University, graduating in 2005 with a BA (Hons) Language Studies. John joined Hazard Chase as an artist manager in 2005.

Sarah Trelawny
Artist Manager

Sarah graduated from the University of York with a Music degree in 2006, having trained as a singer there with Yvonne Seymour (classical) and Louise Gibbs (jazz). After graduating, Sarah moved to Somerset where she worked as the Concerts and Operations Assistant at Wells Cathedral School. Whilst there she coached the school Big Band singers, seeing them through many successful concerts, and organised tours for the Chapel Choir. Sarah joined Hazard Chase in April 2007 and has worked with a portfolio of instrumentalists and conductors. She now manages Polyphony, Stephen Layton, Clark Rundell and Martin Yates.
sarah.trelawny@hazardchase.co.uk

Jon Aaron
Special Consultant: North America

Jon Aaron is a special consultant for North American activities, helping to develop tours for various HC artists, in addition to seeking out new projects from North America to tour in the UK and mainland Europe.  With close to 30 years in the industry as agent, manager and producer he brings a wealth of experience to the team.  Originally based in Boston where he established Aaron Concert Management, and was co-founder of the international Boston Early Music Festival and producer of Charles River Concerts, he was responsible for the initial tours in North America of virtually every major early music ensemble including Les Arts Florissants, Musica Antiqua Koeln, The Tallis Scholars, The Orchestra of the 18th Century, Hesperion XXI, Sequentia and many more.  He also worked closely with a number of soloists, conductors and “mainstream” chamber ensembles.  He moved to New York in 1996 to establish an instrumental and touring division for Trawick Artists.  He departed from Trawick and established Aaron Concert Artists (www.aaronconcert.com) as a small independent management company working with a list of distinguished clients including Jordi Savall (and ensembles), Benjamin Bagby and Sequentia, the Netherland Bach Society and others.  A major part of his life now is also devoted to teaching mindfulness meditation and stress reduction in New York.  He is also trained in alternative dispute resolution.  His association with James Brown extends back to the early days of HC and he is pleased to now be an official adjunct to the team.
jon.aaron@hazardchase.co.uk

Robert Clarke
Consultant: Vocal Division

Robert Clarke was born in London. He went to Wandsworth School where he studied with Russell Burgess and sang in the School Choir. He then won a Junior Exhibition Scholarship to the RCM where he studied piano and violin. He was a repetiteur and played for several distinguished singing teachers including Rupert Bruce-Lockhart and Ruth Packer. He has been an agent for 30 years and has managed singers with Ibbs and Tillett, John Coast, Harold Holt and Askonas Holt. He is now a consultant with Hazard Chase and for the Northern Sinfonia.
robert.clarke@hazardchase.co.uk

Jeremy Woods
Touring and Special Projects Manager

Jeremy Woods was born and educated in London, studying the cello before reading Latin at Manchester University, from where he graduated in 1990. He worked at Harold Holt (now Askonas Holt) from 1991 to 1996 in the Touring and Projects Department on UK and international orchestral touring.
Jeremy also worked on festivals and promotions. In 1996 he joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as Head of Concerts and Recordings and in 1997 was appointed General Manager of the Guildhall Strings. Jeremy joined Hazard Chase in June 2001 as Touring and Special Projects Manager.

Katy Cropper
Executive Assistant to James Brown

Katy graduated from the University of Glasgow with 1st class honours in Music in 2011. As an undergraduate, she researched into live music venues and the role of the promoter. During her time as a student, she spent a few months as the Marketing and PR Intern at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow. Katy has also spent time working in the USA as a Musical Director for Camp America, working with children to create exciting musicals. She enjoys playing the piano and attempts to play the saxophone! Katy joined Hazard Chase in August 2011 as Executive Assistant to James Brown, and now works with Benjamin Grosvenor, Alexander Mickelthwate, The Endellion String Quartet, Yasuo Shinozaki, Pinchas Zukerman and Julian Clef.
katy.cropper@hazardchase.co.uk

Annie Barton
Assistant Artist Manager

Annie studied modern and medieval languages at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where she was also a choral scholar, concert manager, and inevitably a member of the boat club. She went on to achieve a distinction in a Literary Translation MA at UEA, Norwich, for which she specialised in opera translation. She continues to sing, currently studying with Giles Underwood, and occasionally remembers that she was originally a violinist. Having spent three years abroad, working in Italy, France and Switzerland, Annie returned to her native Cambridge to join the Hazard Chase Vocal Department in October 2010.
annie.barton@hazardchase.co.uk

Emily Eason
Assistant Artist Manager

Emily graduated from Goldsmiths College, University of London, in 2010 with a BMus (Hons) in Music.  As a singer at Goldsmiths, Emily performed in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes and as Barbarina in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro.  Whilst in London she joined the London Philharmonic Choir, with whom she continues to perform on a regular basis.  Emily has previously completed a work placement at Aldeburgh Music and worked as an usher at the Royal Opera House.  She joined Hazard Chase in June 2010 as an intern within the Vocal Department, before being made an Assistant Artist Manager in September 2010. 
emily.eason@hazardchase.co.uk

Anna Edwards
Assistant Artist Manager

Anna joined Hazard Chase in 2011, after a period of 4 years in America, working as a tour manager for Classical Movements, an agency dedicated to arranging high quality orchestral and choral tours, where her clients included the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Yale Alumni Chorus and the You Tube Symphony Orchestra.  Prior to this, Anna worked in the Classical Music department of the Royal Festival Hall, where she worked on festivals with Louis Andriessen, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Sir Harrison Birtwistle.  She also ran the South Bank Symphony (now, Sinfonia Tamesa) for several years.  After graduating from the University of Birmingham with a BMus, Anna began her career in Dubai, performing with a classical trio in one their top hotels. She loves to travel and is a keen cellist, performing in local groups in Cambridge.
anna.edwards@hazardchase.co.uk

James Leakey
Assistant Artist Manager

James graduated from Durham University in 2007 with a BA (Hons) History, followed by a year completing an MA in Management at Durham Business School. During his time at Durham he was active in both the music and sporting arenas. He was a member of the Durham University Symphony and Chamber Orchestras of which he was also Librarian and Vice-President. He also regularly played the flute in Durham Opera Ensemble productions and with the Durham Sinfonietta. In his final year at Durham, he captained the university squash team. After leaving Durham in 2008, he spent a brief period working in the defence industry before deciding to make the move into classical music management. James still enjoys playing the flute in various London orchestras and also indulging in his other passions for squash, skiing and travelling! James joined Hazard Chase in July 2009 and works with Instrumentalists and Conductors.
james.leakey@hazardchase.co.uk

Hannah Marsden
Assistant Artist Manager

Hannah graduated from the University of Warwick in 2010 with a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics, where she was involved in running, and playing the viola in the university symphony orchestra. After graduating, she was an intern in the Tours & Projects and Marketing departments of Intermusica, before working in the External Relations department of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. She joined Hazard Chase in August 2011 to work with Libby Percival in looking after The Tallis Scholars, I Fagiolini, the Escher String Quartet and the concert series, Choral at Cadogan. She continues to enjoy playing the viola in orchestral and chamber settings.
hannah.marsden@hazardchase.co.uk

Kayleigh McGowan
Assistant Artist Manager

Kayleigh studied at the University of Birmingham and graduated in 2010 with BMus (Hons). During her time at University she was a keen  member of the University of Birmingham Music Society and sang in choirs and operas regularly. After graduating Kayleigh worked for a wedding music company in Berkshire before working at IMG artists and Intermusica as an intern. Kayleigh joined Hazard Chase as an Assistant Artist Manager in March 2011 where she works in the Conductors and Instrumentalists department in London.
kayleigh.mcgowan@hazardchase.co.uk

Emma Brown
Administrator

Emma graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge with a BA Hons in Music in 2011. During her studies she focused on performance, playing both the flute and saxophone in ensembles and as a soloist. Emma also completed a performance diploma with ABRSM in 2009 on the flute, guided by Brenda Dykes. She continues to teach both the flute and saxophone in her spare time, and performs as half of the Decorus duo at private and public events. Emma joined Hazard Chase in June 2011 as an administrator and as office manager for Cambridge and is actively involved in the company’s marketing activities.
emma.brown@hazardchase.co.uk

Julie Gale
Financial Controller

Julie graduated from the University of Reading with a BA (Hons) in  French and Economics. She then trained with Clark Whitehill in Cheltenham and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1996. Returning to her home town of Cambridge she worked briefly at Ernst and Young before moving onto the Dutch electronics company Philips. During her four years here she was promoted up to Financial Controller of one of the Philips departments and also made a company director. Now returning from a career break after having children she joined Hazard Chase in September 2008 to assist in the accounts department as required.
julie.gale@hazardchase.co.uk

Sharon Few
Accounts Assistant

Sharon joined Hazard Chase in September 2010 as a member of the accounts team. Born in and spending the majority of her early life in the county of Suffolk, her family finally settled in Cambridge. Here she was employed in the financial department of a well known regional public transport company Cambus (now known as Stagecoach) and more recently by H W Dean & Son Chartered Surveyors which was acquired by Carter Jonas in 2010.  Sharon gained her qualifications for business studies at the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology and has had a long career in an accounting environment.
sharon.few@hazardchase.co.uk

Rachael Kent
Assistant Accountant

Rachael joined Hazard Chase in 2011 following three years in a similar role at the University of Cambridge. She is a part-qualified accountant and currently studying towards full qualification with the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). Prior to this she had a career in publishing, working in London in the field of health and social development. Rachael also has a degree in Humanities from the Open University.
rachael.kent@hazardchase.co.uk