Meet The Team
From every note, performance and initiative, it is the team and trustees at Hastings International Piano who make it all happen.
Bringing together a mix of creative vision, strategic thinking and a deep passion for music and community building. Each person plays a key role in shaping what we do.
Professor Vanessa Latarche
Artistic Director
A world- renowned piano pedagogue and pianist, with many international competition prize-winners amongst her students, Vanessa has been Artistic Director and president of the jury for Hastings International Piano since 2021.
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Sarah Coop
Development Director
Sarah is a professional fundraiser with 15 years as Development Director at Artichoke, where she secured funding for large-scale outdoor art projects, each averaging £4m.
Previously Sarah worked at Hampstead Theatre, The Roundhouse, The Philharmonia, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Sarah possesses a wide spectrum of fundraising experience across major gift, corporate, statuary, charitable trust and direct mail fundraising.
In London Sarah was a Trustee of Theatre de Complicité, Hofesh Shechter Company, Artichoke Trust and Burgh House. In Hastings she is a Trustee of the Friends of the Conquest Hospital and the Foreshore Trust. Sarah was a a judge for Miss Gilbralta 2013 and was awarded Freedom of the City of London in 2016.
You are welcome to email Sarah for a conversation about supporting Hastings International Piano.
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Nicky Webb
Communications Director
Nicky is a creative producer, communications consultant, and project manager. She has held a variety of senior roles in arts organisations, including Head of Communications for Glyndebourne
and Marketing Director for the Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival. For 12 years she ran Artichoke, a company that produces large-scale arts events and festivals.
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Ian Brignall
Concerts Director
Born in Hastings, Ian started learning the violin aged 10 and went to Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester. After studying at Dartington College of Arts and the National Centre for Orchestra Studies
at Goldsmiths, he worked as a professional violinist with many of London’s top orchestras. Moving into orchestra management, initially with the Orchestra of D’Oyly Carte Opera, he became Orchestra Director for English National Opera and then Orchestra Manager at the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Heading back to St Leonards on Sea, Ian worked as a freelance concerts and orchestra manager with many of the London orchestras, as well as working as a venue manager. During lockdown Ian took on a role in a major charity as an Employment Coach for the long term unemployed, and helped migrants become job ready alongside teaching English as a second language. Ian joined HIP in September 2023.
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Abby-Lee Widger DChA
Finance Director
Abby is a Finance Director with over 25 years of experience, holding the ICAEW's Diploma in Charity Accounting, recognising her extensive experience within the charity sector.
Abby has worked across a variety of organisations including the Drill Theatre, Tower Theatre, Oily Cart, Discover, Shoreditch Trust, Pineapple Performing Arts, Yellow Earth Theatre, Haven House and the Council for Dance Education & Training (now CDMT). In addition to working for charities Abby has been Production Accountant for a number of West End and touring productions.
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Rosa Amor
Learning and Development Coordinator
Rosa has a psychology degree from the University of Bristol where she specialised in behaviour change and how social psychology can be used to help solve contemporary issues.
Following this, she has worked for non-profits in the arts. Firstly, in the publishing industry as a database assistant, and then on the curatorial team at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, when she lived in Australia. As a Hastings native, Rosa knows the area and community inside out, and has volunteered with vulnerable groups in a range of settings, from teaching textiles to ICT.
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Chloe Edwards-Wood
Social Media and Communications Coordinator
Chloe founded Give a Song CIC in 2020. Under her lead, the organisation received widespread coverage including a 5 minute documentary on Morning Live, BBC1
and features in news outlets such as, Positive News, The Big Issue and MyLondon. Chloe is also a freelance saxophonist and singer, regularly playing UK wide and across Europe with different bands, two of which she manages, running their communications and social media.
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Mimi Scott
Friends and Patrons Coordinator
After a 25-year career in nursing at the Conquest Hospital, specialising in Child Development, Mimi retired 6 years ago. She sang for many years with the Hastings Philharmonic Choir
and the Occasional Consort. Mimi became involved with HIP when introduced by Richard Wray to the idea of hosting competition contestants, which she thoroughly enjoyed, and, since retirement, she has co-ordinated the Friends and Patrons Scheme which gives such valuable support to HIP.
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Martin Griffiths
Piano Desk Coordinator
Martin has been volunteering with HIP since 2017. As Piano Desk Coordinator for the competition, he arranges for competitors to practice on pianos in private houses in and around Hastings
and St Leonards. Previously Martin was on the organising committee of the Egerton Music Festival and continues as a trustee. Professionally he is a business advisor and during his career has undertaken a variety of roles in the legal sector.
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Sarah Searle
Alumni Coordinator
Sarah has had a career in nursing, health, education and hospitality management. After taking early retirement, she joined the team at HIP in 2024, after following the organisation for several years.
She wants to develop this new role in the light of HIP’s reputation for mounting a friendly competition, and because of her genuine interest in seeing how participants' careers develop over time.
Sarah also enjoys being involved in supporting HIP more widely and often helps out with the hospitality at events. She has a lifelong interest in music. She plays the guitar and has recently taken the clarinet up again after many years, as well as singing in choirs and organising the music for her local church.
Our Trustees
Chair
Sarah Kowitz DL
Born and educated in London, Sarah trained as a reporter in Sussex and worked as a subeditor in print journalism before settling to raise a family. She lived and worked in Asia and America for over ten years and since returning to the UK has been an active supporter of various charities supporting the arts, education, and horticulture. She is a trustee of Hastings International Piano, the Rye Art Gallery,
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the Friends of the Conquest Hospital, a trustee of Fairlight Hall Riding for the Disabled, and a Director of the Community Interest Company which manages Rye Creative. She is a Deputy Lieutenant of East Sussex and was presented with an honorary doctorate from the University of East Anglia in 2019.
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Terry Adams
More than 20 years of experience in senior roles within the arts, cultural, and creative industries. A proven track record in delivering project management and business development support
for organisations and individuals in both profit and not-for-profit sectors. An outcome-focused approach combined with strong organisational, analytical, and advocacy skills and the capacity to adapt to various working environments and circumstances.
Professional background includes experience supporting the growth and sustainability of established and emerging businesses and organisations within the creative industry. Responsibilities entail developing business plans, formulating new organisational policies and fundraising strategies, and establishing governance and oversight bodies. Previous clients and employers comprise local and central government departments, national and regional television and radio broadcasters, financial institutions, and arts organisations.
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Diahann Brown
Diahann has spent more than 10 years running The Rhythm Studio Foundation, a west London youth music charity providing music tuition and performance opportunities for underprivileged young people.
With a huge beneficiary area of the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster, she has initiated partnerships with many local schools, community andyouth groups as well as major hospitals’ arts charities. Along with a flourishing community outreach programme, she also spearheads the foundation’s fundraising efforts.
Diahann holds a BA in Economics from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London. She spent several years based in London and Hong Kong as an investment manager, responsible for the assets of charities and institutions. Diahann is passionate about music and believes that it has the potential to transform young people’s lives
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Sarah Hopwood
A qualified chartered accountant, Sarah is an experienced business leader and CFO with extensive experience in financial services, media and entertainment, family businesses, education and the arts.
Having been involved in the management of Glyndebourne Opera for 25 years as Managing Director and previously CFO, Sarah now has a portfolio of non-executive and Trustee roles in organisations ranging from Ed-Tech to the Arts. She lives in East Sussex and is very committed to community engagement in Hastings, following her service as a Governor of ARK William Parker from 2013-2017.
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Alistair Keith
Alistair has lived in the South East of England all his life. His interest in classical music began as a child when his dad gave him a second-hand Danzette record player and an old recording of Beethoven's Emperor piano concerto.
He was educated at Lancing College where he was involved in a weekly gramophone society. Kings College London followed. He was called to the Bar in 1973 and joined a set of Chambers in the Temple establishing a legal practice based in Kent and the home Counties. He is also a director of Alex Graham Ltd which creates the Cartoon Fred Basset. During the competition he joins the team of volunteers. He lives near Bodiam with his wife Arran who is a pianist.
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Jonathan Martin
Jonathan Marten studied organ, piano and orchestral conducting at the Royal College of Music. He was Director of Music at a Hastings School and Bexhill Parish Church where he re-established an ‘all male’ choral tradition.
In 1969 he began a parallel girls’ choir, maybe the first in what became a trend in UK Churches and Cathedrals. He also formed the St. Peter’s Singers and the Bexhill Festival Choir.
He has been Director of Music at the English Church in Geneva, gave recitals and played continuo. For 38 years he was an ABRSM Examiner, Trainer and Moderator, he worked in some 60 countries examining grades through to Diplomas and Theory. In 2004 he met the Hastings Festival committee and presented his idea and initial plans for the creation of HIP.
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Charles Strickland
Charles was born in the Old Town of Hastings and since the age of three has lived in St.Leonards- on-Sea. He completed a music degree at City University, London, and began his working life at Glyndebourne Opera.
At the age of 24, he was appointed their Music Librarian before going on to work for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and subsequently the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
He currently is manager of Henry Wood Hall, the main rehearsal and recording venue for classical music in central London used by all the London Orchestras. It is also a recording venue for solo and chamber ensembles used by many world-class artists, especially pianists.
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Dr Richard Wray
Dr Richard Wray trained as a Consultant Cardiologist and General Physician and worked for many years mainly in Hastings and at King’s College Hospital in London. He held many teaching and training roles within the medical field.
He established the successful live music programme at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings which included a Young Musician in Residence programme. As well as his long-standing services as a trustee of Hastings International Piano, he is a supporter of the Hastings Musical Festival and the East Sussex Schools Music Service, helps to finance children’s music lessons through Hastings Bursaries, and has been involved with both the Young Classical Artists’ Trust and the Society of London Ragamuffins, a City of London charity.
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Jenny Yeo
Born and educated in Cheshire, Jenny studied in Manchester and London as a Speech Therapist specialising in young children, where music was an important part of their learning.
After moving to Sussex, she worked for 25 years for a subsidiary of Pfizer as marketing manager in Europe.
Since her retirement she has been a tireless fundraiser for local charities, for which she was awarded an MBE. She is delighted to contribute to HIP as a trustee.
