Dave Gaydon appointed as Cheltenham Jazz Festival Head of Programming.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Cheltenham Festivals has announced that former Roundhouse Head of Music Dave Gaydon has been appointed as Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s new Head of Programming. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

Cheltenham Festivals announced today that former Roundhouse Head of Music Dave Gaydon has been appointed as Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s new Head of Programming.

Following a glorious eight-year reign as Head of Music at legendary London venue The Roundhouse, Dave Gaydon moved on to launch his own bookings and events business GOAT Music.

He replaces Emily Jones, who moves to The Sage, Gateshead to become Senior Producer with responsibility for talent development, new commissions and cross-genre festivals.

Gaydon said “I am delighted and feel privileged to be part of the Cheltenham Festivals family at this incredibly exciting time for jazz music as the Festival approaches its 25th year. There are a whole host of amazing contemporary artists I’m looking forward to programming alongside the heritage jazz legends that Cheltenham Jazz Festival is so well known for.”

Director of Festivals, Ian George said “We are delighted that one of the best music programmers in the business is coming on board for Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s next exciting chapter. I look forward to working closely with Dave to ensure Cheltenham continues its position as one of Europe’s leading Jazz Festivals and to strengthen even further our talent development programmes.”

Gaydon will remain as director of GOAT Music continuing to work across venues and festivals in the UK and India.

About David Gaydon
Gaydon was solely responsible for putting the Roundhouse firmly on the international live music map as a highly respected, much in-demand venue, continuing the musical legacy that The Roundhouse has been growing since first becoming a performance space in the late 1960s. Managing the legendary BBC Electric Proms for five years, Gaydon also brought in the 30-day iTunes Festival and Mercury Awards as well as multiple festivals including Short Circuit festival of Electronica, the award winning Reverb Festival of contemporary classical music, Turning Point festival showcasing the positive voice of young people and Roundhouse Rising emerging music festival. In 2010 Gaydon programmed and produced the now seminal Zappa Festival to much acclaim and pulling in a vast international audience.
Gaydon also managed and guided the team that work with 11-25s on creative music projects and artist development. 1000s of young people have been through the various programmes under his tenure with past alumni including Maya Jane Coles, Little Sims and Maverick Sabre.
More recently Gaydon completed an 18-month stint as Head of Programming for LW Theatres during which he doubled occupancy rates at The London Palladium though introducing a compelling programme of concerts, film, dance, comedy and family entertainment.
As a musician himself, Gaydon has played at music venues and festivals across the world and is highly passionate about music performance and practice with broad and varied tastes and extensive knowledge of many genres.

About Cheltenham Jazz Festival
In association with BBC Radio 2
5-10 May 2020
#cheltjazzfest
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz
Cheltenham Jazz Festival is an international showcase for the best names in the jazz scene today alongside fresh new talent. The Festival has successfully reached out to new audiences, particularly young people, through its pioneering education programmes. Musicate is an ambitious primary school outreach programme devised and produced by Cheltenham Festivals with the aim of inspiring a love of music to last a lifetime.

About Cheltenham Festivals
Cheltenham Jazz Festival is part of Cheltenham Festivals, a registered charity behind the town’s internationally acclaimed Jazz, Science, Music and Literature Festivals. Through cutting edge and creative programming, Cheltenham’s four inspirational festivals have been at the forefront of the UK’s cultural scene since the inaugural Music Festival in 1945.