Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Wind Ensemble – April 20, 2023

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Wind Ensemble

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields was founded by Sir Neville Marriner in 1958 and is currently led by Music Director Joshua Bell. In 1967, the Academy Chamber Ensemble was formed to perform the larger scale chamber music repertoire with players who customarily worked together, instead of the usual string quartet with additional guests. Drawn from the principal players of the orchestra, the Chamber Ensemble’s 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 Chamber Ensemble now performs in multiple configurations, including the Academy Wind Ensemble, which makes its US debut with pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips in the 2021-22 season, performing programs featuring the quintets of Beethoven, Mozart, and Brahms, among other works.

“an ensemble of first-rate musicians, technically superb, generously expressive, and obviously enjoying themselves.”

-Dallas Morning News

“impressively seamless ensemble”

-Chicago Classical Review

“impressive sophistication and complexity of phrasing, elegant articulation and an impeccable sense of balance… What sets the Academy apart from other ensembles is its exceptional musical intelligence.”

-Seen and Heard International

www.asmf.org

Simon Crawford-Phillips

Simon is a multi-festival director, renowned pianist, creative programmer with a passion for championing contemporary repertoire, and a chamber musician who regularly collaborates with artists such as Daniel Hope and Lawrence Power in repertoire from Haydn and Schumann to Adès, Byström, Dean and Reich. His own ensembles include The Kungsbacka Piano Trio, and Stockholm Syndrome Ensemble (resident artists at Stockholm Konzerthus). Simon is the Artistic Adviser and Chief Conductor of Västerås Sinfonietta as well as the Artistic Director of the Change Music Festival in Norra Halland, Västerås Music Festival and Co-Artistic Director of the Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival. Simon is Conductor Fellow of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra working alongside chief conductor Alan Gilbert.

Simon’s spicy and eclectic programming is reflected in an extraordinarily varied career as a conductor/director alongside his solo collaborations. Highlights have included debuts with Zurich Chamber Orchestra for an extensive European tour alongside Daniel Hope, directing Sinfonia Varsovia in Warsaw’s Lutosławski Chain Festival, and debuting Wild Waves and Woods at Kings Place with Västerås Sinfonietta, Paul Watkins and Lawrence Power.

As a pianist The Guardian says Simon has “profound sensitivity and technical brilliance, achieving an expressive intensity that made for compelling listening.” He performs in premiere festivals and concert halls across Europe including Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein, Edinburgh, and at Wigmore Hall where he will appear as the regular pianist with Chamber Ensemble in Residence, the acclaimed Nash Ensemble. Notable concerto debuts include the NHK Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra directing from the keyboard. Simon CrawfordPhillips is managed worldwide by Percius www.percius.co.uk.

www.simoncrawford-phillips.com

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