The Gesualdo Six
Charity Number: 1204778
Trustees Report & Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 August 2024
The Gesualdo Six
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its Trustees and advisors for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
| Trustees | John Willan (Chair, resigned 21 September 2024) Alice Penney (now Acting Chair) Tim Price (Secretary) Richard Heason Gilly Summers (resigned 10 April 2024) |
|---|---|
| Charity Registered Number |
1204778 |
| Registered Offices | Flat 1, 80 Colney Hatch Lane London N10 1EA |
Charity Number: 1204778
The Gesualdo Six Trustee Report September 2023 - August 2024
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Policies & Objectives
The charity was established for the public benefit, to promote and advance education of the public in the art, science, and history of the musical arts in particular but not exclusively by the presentation of concerts and recordings, commissioning new works, providing education projects for people of all ages.
Strategies for achieving objectives
The charity achieves its objectives principally by performing concerts, making recordings, delivering educational workshops and programmes for students, amateurs and emerging professionals, and commissioning new works. The activity of the charity is primarily UK focused, but The Gesualdo Six have a worldwide audience.
The Trustees are committed to the performance and recording of new music and champion the work of upcoming composers, performing it all over the UK and abroad, often bringing it to new audiences for the first time.
The Trustees are committed to supporting the professional development of both The Gesualdo Six, and other emerging ensembles.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
In its inaugural year, the Trustee’s primary focus has been on laying strong organisational foundations. This has included setting up essential infrastructure such as the bank account, reviewing and refining our Friends scheme, and formulating strategic objectives to guide our future direction. While the emphasis has been on establishing a robust framework rather than on fundraising or major project work, the year has still seen meaningful activity. The Charity has supported several educational initiatives and contributed to the commissioning of new works for The Gesualdo Six, as outlined below.
The Trustees, together with Director of The Gesualdo Six, Owain Park, are enthusiastic about the Charity’s potential and look forward to building on this foundation in the years ahead.
EDUCATION
Workshop & Choral Evensong with St Wulfram’s Grantham
In January 2024, The Gesualdo Six visited St Wulfram’s Church in Grantham to lead a workshop with the church’s young choristers in preparation for a broadcast of BBC Choral Evensong. This marked a continuation of an ongoing relationship with St Wulfram’s, where the
Charity Number: 1204778
group has collaborated in previous years. Together with the Youth Choir, they performed works including Orlando Gibbons’ Second Service and William Smith’s set of responses. The workshop also introduced the choristers to contemporary repertoire by composers Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Henrietta Moran, and Kerensa Briggs.
The Gesualdo Six’s Renaissance Music Weekend
In July 2024, we organised our Renaissance Music Weekend — a two-day workshop dedicated to exploring the vocal richness of Renaissance polyphony. Participants worked closely with all members of The Gesualdo Six, developing their ensemble skills and vocal technique. The weekend included leading a service of Choral Evensong at St Gabriel’s Church, Pimlico, and culminated in a public concert at St George’s Church, Bloomsbury, where participants performed alongside the group. A limited number of bursary places were offered to students and emerging professional singers, ensuring broader access to this opportunity.
COMMISSIONS
The charity supported the commissioning of a new work for The Gesualdo Six’s programme Hear O Heavens . This project explores the Verse Anthem — a distinguished form of English sacred music that flourished with the rise of the vernacular church tradition. The newly commissioned work was “ A Hymn” , arranged for TTBB and chamber organ by Anna Semple .
This composition was premiered on 14 May 2024 at St John’s Smith Square (now Sinfonia Smith Square), performed by The Gesualdo Six with Richard Gowers (organ). The programme also featured music by Purcell, Tomkins, Humfrey, and Gibbons.
STRATEGY & ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
Since its establishment in September 2023, the Charity’s Trustees have held a number of strategic planning meetings with the Director and members of The Gesualdo Six to shape the Charity’s long-term vision. These discussions have been productive, laying the groundwork for future activity and culminating in plans for a formal launch event in Autumn 2024.
In April 2024, following the resignation of Trustee Gilly Summers, the Board initiated a recruitment process to fill the vacancy. A skills audit was conducted to assess the current composition of the Board and identify any gaps in expertise. The vacancy was advertised online, and in September 2024, Joel Newsome-Hubbard was appointed as a new Trustee.
Charity Number: 1204778
The Gesualdo Six Financial Review September 2023 - August 2024
Trust Gross Income was under £25k for the year, and therefore an Independent Review was not required by the Charity Commission.
Bank Accounts
The charity set-up their first bank account with Metro Bank in February 2024, and were able to receive donations from this point forward. Consequently, there was minimal fundraising activity in the first year.
At the Trustee meeting held on 5 July 2024, it was agreed that dual authorisation would be required for all transactions involving the Charity’s bank account to strengthen financial controls. Consequently, the Trustees approved the opening of a new account with CAF, which was successfully established in September 2024. The existing Metro Bank account has been retained as a secondary, back-up account.
Restricted Funds
The funds related to the Renaissance Music Weekend will be used to pay the ensemble for leading the workshop days, and for the remaining cost of venue hire.
Charity Number: 1204778
The Gesualdo Six Structure, Governance and Management September 2023 - August 2024
Constitution
The charity is registered as a CIO, governed by its constitution. The charity received its charitable status on 19 September 2023. The charity is constituted under its memorandum and articles and is a registered charity, number 1204778.
Methods of appointment or election of Trustees
In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. The charity trustees must also consult with the Executive Board before offering any candidate a trusteeship.
Organisational structure and decision-making policies
The Trustees meet periodically (a minimum of once a quarter) to discuss the matters affecting the charity and to review the financial position of the charity. In addition, the Trustees liaise with the Executive Board (comprising the Director of The Gesualdo Six and the Administrator) about any specific points that they may be interested in. No decision shall be taken at a meeting unless a quorum is present.
During the financial year covered by this annual report, Gilly Summers resigned from the Board of Trustees. The remaining Trustees would like to take this opportunity to offer very grateful thanks to Gilly for contributing to the charity.
Charity Number: 1204778
Board of Trustees as of May 2025
Acting Chair - Alice Penney Secretary - Tim Price Treasurer - Richard Heason Trustee - Joel Newsome-Hubbard Trustee - Lizzy Holsgrove
And
Director of The Gesualdo Six - Owain Park
Administrator for The Gesualdo Six - Hannah Pinney-Thomson
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees/Directors
Signature
Full Name
Richard Heason
Position Trustee and Treasurer Date 25th June 2025
Charity Number: 1204778
The Gesualdo Six
Accounts 1st September 2023 to 31st August 2024
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Total funds | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | ||||
| Income from: | ||||||
| Donations | £2 500 00 | £11 409 81 | £13 909 81 | |||
| Legacies | - | - | - | |||
| Charitable activities | £5 512 18 | £1 000 00 | £6 512 18 | |||
| Other income | - | - | - | |||
| Total Income | £8 012 18 | £12 409 81 | £20 421 99 | |||
| Expenditure on: | ||||||
| Charitable Activities | £1 350 00 | £4 820 00 | £6 170 00 | |||
| Total Expenditure | £1 350 00 | £4 820 00 | £6 170 00 | |||
| Net movement in funds | £6 662 18 | £7 589 81 | £14 251 99 | |||
| Income from Donations & Legacies 2023-2024 | Income from Donations & Legacies 2023-2024 | Income from Donations & Legacies 2023-2024 | Income from Donations & Legacies 2023-2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Total funds | |||
| Income from: | 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | |||
| Donations | £2 500 00 | £11 409 81 | £13 909 81 | |||
| Legacies | £0 00 | £0 00 | £0 00 | |||
| Total Income | £2 500 00 | £11 409 81 | £13 909 81 | |||
| Income from Charitable Activities 2023-2024 | Income from Charitable Activities 2023-2024 | Income from Charitable Activities 2023-2024 | Income from Charitable Activities 2023-2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Total funds | |||
| Income from: | 2024 | £2 024 00 | 2024 | £2 024 00 | 2024 | |
| WorkshopFees | £0 00 | £1 000 00 | £1 000 00 | |||
| Renaissance Music Weekend | £5 512 18 | £0 00 | £0 00 | £5 512 18 | ||
| Total Income | £5 512 18 | £1 000 00 | £6 512 18 | |||
| Expenditure Analysis 2023-2024 | Expenditure Analysis 2023-2024 | Expenditure Analysis 2023-2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Total funds | ||||
| 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | ||||
| Trustee Meetings | £0 00 | £320 00 | £320 00 | |||
| Renaissance Music Weekend | £350 00 | £0 00 | £350 00 | |||
| Commissions | £1 000 00 | £0 00 | £1 000 00 | |||
| CharityAdministration | £0 00 | £4 500 00 | £4 500 00 | |||
| Total Expenditure | £1 350 00 | £4 820 00 | £6 170 00 | |||
Richard Heason Trustee and Treasurer 25th June 2025