Masters of the Bench

A development consultant working in arts, music and charitable fundraising for many years, Penny Jonas joined the Temple Music Foundation in 2002 as its Development Director. With the Board, she raised the funds for the world premiere performances in 2003 of The Veil of The Temple by Sir John Tavener in the Temple Church and the subsequent performance at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York. She has since worked on developing the Temple Music Foundation (TMF) programme with the Board of the TMF, as well as the introduction in 2009 and development of Temple Song performed in Middle Temple Hall, with pianist Julius Drake. Penny joined the TMF Trustee Board in 2018   She had previously worked on the Middle Temple Scholarship Fund Appeal;  in 2008 on the  400th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Charter with Master Treasurer Michael Blair and Sir Anthony May (Inner Temple);  on raising the £750,000 for the restoration of the Temple Church Organ; on a major Benjamin Britten Centenary opera project for performances in St Petersburg, London and Suffolk, advising Longborough Festival Opera on future funding.  She enjoyed two years’  maternity cover as Head of Fundraising at Snape Maltings, home of the Aldeburgh Festival. She has served on the boards of the London Sinfonietta, EXAUDI, Endymion and  Blackheath Concert Halls where she took the Chair during the period of its final restoration and stabilisation. She was a Trustee of the Blackheath Historic Buildings Trust and Chairman of the Vitiligo Society.  

Penny is currently a trustee of the Belcea Quartet Trust, the Imogen Cooper Music Trust and Chairman of Mahogany Opera and is working with Sir Bernard Rix, Chairman of Coexist House. 

She is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.