Toby Cruse
Toby John Cruse is a British live agent, concert promoter, talent manager and former professional musician. He is founder and CEO of Worldwide Entertainment, incorporating Worldwide Talent and Worldwide Live. He also works as a celebrity booking agent.
Born in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, Cruse lived in Cookham, Berkshire until August 2007 when he moved to Maidenhead, Berkshire, the town in which he now resides.
Artists Cruse has worked with include Kylie Minogue, James Morrison, Lily Allen, Gary Barlow, Will Young, Katherine Jenkins, Laura Wright, Michael Ball, Dina Carroll, Leo Sayer, Josh Groban, Hayley Westenra, Faryl Smith, Jonathan Ansell, Sir James Galway, The X Factor Finalists, Michael Feinstein, The Real Thing, Issy Van Randwyck and Rose-Marie.
A former professional musician, Cruse has worked on over 200 theatrical productions, many in London's West End and on national/international tours, both as Musical Director/Supervisor, orchestral musician and/or vocal coach, and for the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky. As a classical pianist, he has performed extensively, winning competitions for his interpretation of Chopin and Rachmaninov, and has performed the famous "Rach 2". He has performed for royalty at Windsor Castle and other venues on several occasions and, in 1999, formed the Thames Valley Sinfonia and Thames Valley Sinfonia Chorus.
Cruse studied at Trinity College of Music, London, and with tutors from other music colleges across the UK.
In 2002, for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, a portrait of Cruse was painted by Timmy Mallett as part of a series of 50 portraits of people from around Cookham, Berkshire. Other figures to be painted included Lorraine Kelly, Sir Clive Woodward, Ulrika Jonsson, Jim Rosenthal, Wendy Craig and Stanley Spencer's grandson, John.
In 2012, for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Cruse reformed and conducted the British Sinfonia for a concert in his hometown of Maidenhead, Berkshire.
On 2 April 2012, Cruse produced and promoted a 25th Anniversary Memorial Concert to legendary drummer Buddy Rich featuring drummers Ian Paice, Ginger Baker, Clem Cattini, Dave Weckl, John Blackwell and Gavin Harrison. The concert was held at the London Palladium and hosted by Buddy's daughter, Cathy Rich, and actor/comedian John Thomson. Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson and Tony Christie also made appearances.
Cruse was also the consultant on Leo Sayer in Concert: 40 Years at the Top, starring Leo Sayer, a show which was produced by the British Theatre Playhouse in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January 2015.
