The Academy of St Martin in the Fields return to Australia in October with virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell as Music Director

Sydney — Tuesday 23 May 2023

The Sydney Opera House today announced the return of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) in October 2023, its first Australian tour in six years, with virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell as Music Director.

One of the world’s finest chamber orchestras, renowned for its fresh, brilliant interpretations of orchestral music, the ASMF will perform three concerts in the Sydney Opera House’s newly-transformed Concert Hall as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell will lead the orchestra through a program of music by Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens and Prokofiev, with the third program exclusive to Sydney.
 
Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM says: “Hot on the heels of hosting the esteemed London Symphony Orchestra, we’re delighted to be presenting another leading international ensemble as part of the Opera House’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, led by the inimitable Joshua Bell, last performed in the Concert Hall in 2017. What a thrill it will be to hear their magnificent playing in our newly-transformed Concert Hall.”

Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chief Executive Annie Lydford says, “On behalf of our Music Director Joshua Bell and all the musicians of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, I am pleased to say how very excited we all are to be returning to Australia in October 2023 to perform some of the classics of the repertoire. When we last toured to Australia six years ago, none of us could have foreseen the challenges of the Covid pandemic – particularly for musicians and venues – so we are delighted that we will be able to perform once again in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. We look forward to rekindling friendships with our Australian colleagues and music lovers, and welcoming newcomers to our concerts.”

The ASMF will also perform concerts at Melbourne Recital Centre on 4 and 5 October, and Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane on 11 and 12 October.

Established in 1958 by Sir Neville Marriner, the ASMF gave its first performance in its namesake church in London, in November 1959. In the decades since, the ASMF has become a widely admired chamber orchestra – familiar to music-lovers for its 1969 bestseller, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film Amadeus.

The orchestra is led by Joshua Bell, one of the most celebrated artists of his era, retaining the collegiate spirit and flexibility of the original small, conductor-less ensemble, an ASMF hallmark. Under Bell’s direction, and with the support of Leader/Director Tomo Keller, the ASMF continues to push the boundaries of player-directed performance to new heights, presenting symphonic repertoire and chamber music on a grand scale at prestigious venues around the globe.

Sydney Opera House | PROGRAM

PROGRAM 1 (Sat 7 Oct)
PROKOFIEV Classical Symphony
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in E minor
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No.3, Scottish

PROGRAM 2 (Sun 8 Oct)
MOZART The Marriage of Figaro: Overture
BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto
MOZART Symphony No.40

PROGRAM 3 (Mon 9 Oct - Sydney Exclusive)
MOZART The Marriage of Figaro: Overture
JS BACH Violin Concerto in A minor
SAINT-SAENS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No.4, Italian

The Sydney Opera House season is proudly supported by the NSW Government through the Blockbusters Funding initiative.