Faust Chamber Orchestra
Trustees’ Annual Report
From 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024
Registered Charity England & Wales no. 1163070
Registered charity England and Wales no. 1163070
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 August 2024.
CHAIR’S REPORT
This season contained a performance of Haydn’s opera ‘The Apothecary’ in partnership with Bampton Classical Opera.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The objective of Faust Chamber Orchestra (the ‘Orchestra’) is:
to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art of music in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts and recitals, and by such other means as the trustees shall determine from time to time.
The Orchestra is composed of young professional musicians and aims at making classical music fresh, comprehensible, and inspirational in the concert hall. Under the artistic direction of conductor, Mark Austin, the Orchestra provides accessible spoken introductions and musical demonstrations as part of its concerts, which bring the music closer to audiences.
In order to achieve its objectives, the Orchestra organises and delivers a range of live performances, in 3 main formats:
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Orchestral concerts, usually under the baton of Artistic Director, Mark Austin
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Chamber Series recitals, showcasing a few members of the Orchestra and external guest artists in a more intimate setting
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Educational projects, organised on an ad hoc basis with schools or other partner organisations, to share professional performances of classical music with children and adults and educate them about the beauty and power of music
The Orchestra gives professional players the opportunity to perform with and play an active and fairly remunerated role with a top-class ensemble.
The Orchestra is involved in the community and relies on voluntary help. In addition to the time volunteered by trustees and members of the management team, several volunteers assist with box office administration, concert management, and catering for Orchestra players and guest artists. Faust Chamber Orchestra is extremely grateful for their ongoing support.
In shaping the objectives for each season and planning the activities, the Charity Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
PERFORMANCES
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Registered charity England and Wales no. 1163070
Major concerts
There were no orchestral performances this season.
Chamber Series
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8 September 2023
Haydn ‘The Apothecary’
An outdoor, staged and costumed performance of Haydn's comic opera, sung in English with piano
accompaniment
Guy Beynon Sempronio
Iuno Connolly Grilletta
Madeline Robinson Volpino
Harry Ross Mengone
Mark Austin piano, conductor
Jeremy Gray director
Bampton Classical Opera
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Recording
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There were no recordings this season.
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FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PRICING POLICY
The results for the year ended 31 August 2024 and the financial position as at 31 August 2024 are set out in the Annual Accounts prepared on the basis of receipts and payments.
The financial year 2023-24 ended with an overall surplus of £1456, resulting from total receipts of £3156 and total payments of £1700. Cash funds at the year end amounted to £25005.
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Registered charity England and Wales no. 1163070
Pricing Policy
Affordability and access to the performances are important criterias and the pricing policy reflects the strategy of enabling all within the community, whatever their means, to attend a live music performance. Full ticket prices to the orchestral concerts in this season were however determined by the promoter.
Reserves Policy
The trustees acknowledge the need to maintain sufficient reserves to provide a degree of financial security for the Orchestra's ongoing and future operations.
Continuing from the previous season, the board worked on the basis of a reserve policy which established that funds equivalent to typical project turnover, £10,000 at the time, should be held as free reserve to ensure financial stability.
As the Orchestra develops and the size of its operations changes, the amount of reserves will be reviewed accordingly.
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
Faust Chamber Orchestra is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed according to its Constitution (‘foundation’ model) dated 7 March 2014.
The Constitution was modified on 29 July 2015 (Object) and further modified on 30 November 2015 (change in name from Faust Ensemble to Faust Chamber Orchestra).
Organisation
The trustees are responsible for the overall management and control of the CIO. The board of trustees meets on a quarterly basis, with members of the management team in attendance.
Decisions are made by simple majority of votes at a meeting of the board of trustees or by resolution made in writing or in electronic form and agreed by all trustees.
All Trustees give of their time freely and no remuneration or expenses were paid in the year.
Day to day management of the Charity’s affairs is delegated to the Artistic Director.
Appointment of Trustees
The existing trustees may appoint a new trustee at any time for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a meeting of the board of trustees.
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Chamb•r andWaie5 . 1163070 In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustee5. the existing trustees have regard to the skills, knowledge and eXperIee needed for the effective administration of the Charity. There must be at least three and rrf)t mrKe than twelve trtee5. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DEfAILS Charity name: Faust Chamber Orchestra Previously known as". Faust Ensemble {name change decided on 30 November 2015 and recorded by the Charity Commission on 22 December 2015} For the purwses of simplicity, the organisation is referred to as 'Faust Chamtw Orchestra, or 'the Orchestra, throughwt this report Charity Number: 1163070 Iregi5tered on 10 August 2015) Address: 21 Layston Parf(, Rosston, Hertfordshire SG8 9DS Webslte: stch er or Trustees The trustees seThlng durfng the year are set wt below: Countess Elizabeth Howe Ms Kiara Kan Ms Helen EccLe5tone Mr Mark Austin Chairman ement T The members of the lIAnagemt team servlng thjrlng the year were: Mr Austln Artistic Director This report has been approved by all of the charitys tntstees, and signed on their behalf by: Countess Elizabeth Howe Date 271&120?¥
Faust Chamber Orchestra
1163070
CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts
For the period 01/09/2023 31/08/2024 To from
Section A Receipts and payments
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VoluntaryIncome |
- | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Donations | 1,050 | - | - | 1,050 | 1,100 | ||||
| Grants | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Gift Aid | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Income from Charitable Activities | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Ticket Sales | 1,916 | - | - | 1,916 | 2,488 | ||||
| Performance Fees | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Bank SavingInterest | 190 | - | - | 190 | - | ||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 3,156 | - | - | 3,156 | 3,588 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 3,588 | |||||||||
Costs of Charitable Activities |
- | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Musicians’ Fees | 1,700 | - | - | 1,700 | 2,000 | ||||
| Venue and Other Costs | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Support Costs | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 1,700 | - | - | 1,700 | 2,000 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| 2,000 | |||||||||
| 1,456 | 1,588 | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 23,549 | 21,961 | ||||||||
| 25,005 | 23,549 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) Categories B1 Cash funds |
1 Cash at bank Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 25,005 - - 25,005 OK |
28/06/2025 Restricted funds Endowment funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - OK OK |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - |
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Details Details Details Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Klara Kan |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval | |||
| Klara Kan | 28 June 2025 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
28/06/2025
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