James Brown was born in Yorkshire and studied the viola with Frederick Riddle at the Royal College of Music. During a six-year career as a professional violist he was a member of the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Radio and London Philharmonic orchestras.

He founded Hazard Chase Limited in 1990. From 1993-1999 he was also a Partner of N.W. Brown and Company, Hazard Chase’s parent organisation at that time. In 1999, as Managing Director, he led a management buy-out. In 2017 he was appointed Chairman of Artium Media Relations Limited. In 2020 he founded James Brown Management after Hazard Chase closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

James 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 and in April 2012 he was made an Honorary Life Member of the International Artist Managers’ Association. In January 2013 he received the Association of British Orchestras/Rhinegold Publishing award for 2012 for Artist Manager of the Year.

Julie studied French and Economics at Reading university before qualifying as a Chartered accountant with Clark Whitehill in Cheltenham. She then worked for Ernst and Young before moving into industry and joining Philips, the Dutch electronics firm. After a career break to have a family she joined Hazard Chase in 2008, initially as a freelancer, moving on to becoming the Financial Controller and then the Finance Director.

Imogen graduated from the University of Leeds with a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Music. She was a member of the music society where she participated in many ensembles and managed the Symphonic Wind Orchestra. She completed internships with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and management agency Konzertdirektion Schmid before joining Hazard Chase in 2012 working with instrumentalists and conductors. Imogen is on the advisory board for Young People in the Arts (YPIA) and continues to play clarinet and piano when possible.

Lucy is a graduate of the University of York where she studied music. She started her career in the music industry working for the New London Consort, moving to Magenta Music and then to Hazard Chase in 1997 where she worked as an artist manager and later a director. Lucy has specialized in choral music and vocal ensembles and is very proud to have worked with artists such as The Hilliard Ensemble, I Fagiolini, The Gesualdo Six, Polyphony, Vox Luminis and Julian Bream. She has had a long association with The Tallis Scholars and is delighted to be managing this ensemble, and the Director of Music at King’s College Cambridge, Daniel Hyde, at JBM. Lucy lives in a village outside Cambridge with her husband and two sons. She sings regularly in Ely Cathedral and spends as much time gardening as life will allow.

Roderick Thomson started his working life in the classical music business with Victor Hochhauser subsequently 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. In 2009, he was invited to join Hazard Chase, where he focussed primarily on the management of conductors and instrumental soloists. He has served twice over several years on the Board of the International Artist Managers’ Association, and has also been a long-time member of the IAMA Broadcasting & Media Committee. 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.

Born in Berlin, Sophie obtained her Master’s degree with distinction in Music and English Literature from the Universities of Dresden and Oxford, where she was a member of Lady Margaret Hall. After an interlude at the academic music libraries of Oxford and Cambridge, she took up an internship in the Vocal and Opera Department of Intermusica, and, following this, was appointed Operations Officer at Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, where she managed the Piano Festival and Summer Academy as well as community and university education projects. Sophie joined Hazard Chase in 2012, working with Instrumentalists and Conductors. Based in Oxfordshire, she is a member of the Oxford Bach Choir.

Laura graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2006 where she read Music at Girton College.

After work experience at Glyndebourne and The Sixteen, she managed the promotion of several celebrated composers at Oxford University Press including Bob Chilcott, John Rutter and Gabriel Jackson. From 2009-17 she worked at Askonas Holt in the Conductor department, later working freelance for Wayne Marshall OBE, before being invited to join JBM in 2021. A former Chair of the Holst Singers, she holds a Diploma in piano performance and enjoys exploring the cuisine of the Basque country.

Emma graduated from ARU in Cambridge with a BA Hons in Music in 2011. During her studies she focused on performance, playing both the flute and jazz saxophone in ensembles and as a soloist. She also completed a performance diploma with ABRSM in 2009 on the flute, guided by Brenda Dykes. Emma joined Hazard Chase Ltd in June 2011 as an Administrator, subsequently becoming Marketing and Office Manager in July 2012, and an Associate Director in 2018. In 2020 Emma started her own business Colour Drop Creative and joined JBM overseeing the company website, social media, and company administration.

Andrea graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music where she studied singing. She worked as a professional singer before moving into classical music management with Patrick Garvey Management as Administrator and then Director. In 2015 Andrea moved to Salisbury where she worked as Liturgy and Music Manager at Salisbury Cathedral. She joins JBM following a busy and varied year with Opera North.
Photo credit: Justin Slee

A graduate of Royal Holloway and its renowned chapel choir, Jessica started her arts management career at Percius Management where she was Assistant Artist Manager for clients including I Fagiolini and Rachel Podger, before joining the administrative teams of baroque chamber ensemble Arcangelo as Friends’ Officer, and later at the Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs in Cambridge, firstly as Music Secretary and then as General Manager. Jessica is a keen singer alongside her role at JBM and has previously held the roles of VOCES8 Scholar and Lay Clerk for the Choir of Clare College.

Isabella graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she studied clarinet under clarinettists Joy Farrall, Andrew Webster and James Burke.
During her studies in London, she had the opportunity to perform at the Barbican Hall as a member of Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, and also performed with Sir Mark Elder and Roberto Gonzalez-Monjas. She was a member of Aldeburgh Young Musicians, Britten Sinfonia Academy and Hertfordshire County Orchestra, performing in a range of diverse county music initiatives.

Now, Isabella’s enthusiasm has shifted toward the managerial aspect of the industry, becoming a member of the JBM team in 2023. In her spare time she enjoys various activities like hitting the gym, socialising, and maintaining her skills in playing both the clarinet and the piano.

After graduating with a BA (hons) in Classical Performance from Leeds Conservatoire, Jess began working in Arts Administration for Leeds Junior Conservatoire and Community Ensembles. In 2017, she joined the Diocese of Leeds Music Department based at Leeds Cathedral. For four years she led on administration and fundraising for the Diocesan Choirs and award-winning music education Programmes, whilst supporting the rollout of the National Schools Singing Programme across the UK. In 2021, Jess was appointed as the Orchestra Manager for Opera North. As well as managing concert and opera performances in home venues in West Yorkshire, Jess toured with the orchestra throughout the UK working alongside international soloists and conductors before leaving to join JBM in 2023. Living in Yorkshire’s Colne valley, Jess enjoys dog walks in the moors, making music and house renovations in her spare time.

Born in the Scottish Borders, John studied at Aberdeen College of Education and subsequently taught music at Aboyne Academy for just over 3 years before deciding to resume studies in the Opera School at the Royal College of Music, London.  On leaving the RCM he sang in the chorus of Opéra de Monte Carlo and as part of La Stagione Estiva Livornese in Italy.  Later seasons included work with New D’Oyly Carte Opera, New Sadlers Wells Opera and a return to Monte Carlo.  After leaving singing behind John worked at the English National Opera Shop as Assistant Manager and was promoted to Manager where he worked for several years before deciding to move into Artist Management. John also followed up his interest in languages studying part time with the Open University, and gained a B.A. (Hons) in Language Studies, graduating “locally” at Ely Cathedral.  In 2005, John joined the vocal division of Hazard Chase Ltd as an Artist Manager, through until the pandemic struck in 2020. John happily returned to the business on a part time basis in October 2021 as General Administrator, supporting the JBM team.

Having spent the majority of her early life in Suffolk, where she was born, Sharon’s family eventually settled in Cambridge. Here she was employed in the finance department of a well known regional public transport company Cambus (now known as Stagecoach) and subsequently by H W Dean & Son Chartered Surveyors, which was acquired by Carter Jonas in 2010.  Sharon has had a long career in an accounting environment and worked in the accounts team for Hazard Chase from 2010 through to 2020.  She gained her qualifications for business studies at the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology.