Academy Of St Martin In The Fields Chamber Ensemble Announced At The Broad Stage

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble on Saturday, October 12 at 7:30pm. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble performs the world's greatest chamber music. Playing in this smaller configuration at The Broad Stage for the first time, the program includes some of the greatest works ever for chamber music as well as the West Coast premiere of Beamish' Partita for string octet. The Washington Post calls them, "Luminous, often breathtaking."

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble was created in 1967 to perform the larger chamber works with players who customarily worked together, instead of the usual string quartet with additional guests. Drawn from the principal players of the orchestra and led by violinist Tomo Keller, the Chamber Ensemble performs in all shapes and sizes, from string quintets to octets, and in various other configurations featuring winds. Its touring commitments are extensive and include regular tours of Europe and North America, whilst recording contracts with Philips Classics, Hyperion, and Chandos have led to the release of over thirty CDs.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble features Tomo Keller (violin), Harvey de Souza (violin), Martin Burgess (violin), Jennifer Godson (violin), Robert Smissen (viola), Fiona Bonds (viola), Stephen Orton (cello) and Will Schofield (cello).

The New York Times said of the ensemble's interpretation of Mendelssohn's Octet for Strings in E flat; "Mendelssohn instructed that his Octet for Strings in E flat be played in a symphonic style with strict observation of dynamic markings, a wish that the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble observed during a bristling performance of the work. Listening to the glorious octet, which Mendelssohn wrote at a precocious 16, it's easy to imagine the awe that his family and friends must have felt while hearing the work's premiere in 1825 during a Sunday morning musicale in the garden house of the family home in Berlin."

Tickets are now on sale at www.thebroadstage.org or by calling 310.434.3200. Classical Music Series at The Broad Stage made possible in part by generous support from the Colburn Foundation.