Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is a chamber orchestra based in London, that was founded by revered British conductor Sir Neville Marriner in 1959. The ensemble started out as a conductor-less string group which welcomed some of London's most accomplished musicians who did not get along with the major conductors of the time. Soon the orchestra grew to become one of those most celebrated "divisive" chamber ensembles London has ever produced. Based in the Trafalgar Square church, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Academy has done much to not only advance the importance of small ensembles in classical music performance today, but has also done much to spark an interest in Baroque music throughout the world.