The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields was founded in 1959 by Sir Neville Marriner and a group of London’s leading orchestral players. Originally formed as a small conductorless string group, it spearheaded the 1950’s Baroque revival.
Since those early days, the Academy has expanded and experimented widely and now divides its time equally between international tours, UK concerts and sessions in the recording studio.
Sir Neville Marriner continues as the orchestra’s Artistic and Music Director and as conductor of the symphony orchestra. Iona Brown and Kenneth Sillito are Artistic Directors of the chamber orchestra and Ken-neth Sillito also directs the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble. The Academy makes regular visits to USA, France, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Japan.
Audiences in London have the opportunity to hear the Academy in concerts at the South Bank and Barbican Centres, and the orchestra performs throughout the UK at the major musical centres.
The Academy has a flourishing education programme and players take part in a wide range of educational projects with schools and community groups throughout the U.K. Projects are tailored to suit each group and provide people of all ages and abilities with the opportunity to work with many of the country’s finest musicians.
With Britain leading the way in music education projects, the Academy is now involved in developing projects abroad. With over 1000 releases to its credit, ranging from Baroque and Classical masterpieces to the major Romantic and 20th Century works, the Academy remains the most recorded chamber orchestra in the world. It has won many coveted international awards – including 8 Edisons, the Canadian Grand Prix and a multitude of gold discs – thirteen alone for the soundtrack of Milos Forman’s film “Amadeus”.
Unlike any other major British orchestra, the Academy receives no direct government subsidy and relies solely on its artistic integrity and commercial initiative for its continued success.
In April 1993 the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields became the first orchestra to be honoured with the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement.
