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After the London-based Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble’s 2012 concert at the Center for the Arts, the Washington Post noted that the group—“so well-known that it’s become a modern musical icon, its name synonymous with impeccable musicianship, irreproachable British taste and performances so polished that they fairly gleam”—somehow “lived up to, and maybe even surpassed, the hype” with its performance. We look forward to the ensemble’s return for yet another concert “nothing short of stunning” (Gramophone), and including the exciting world premiere of a new octet, this Friday, October 3.
Drawn from the principal players of the legendary Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) Orchestra—founded by the late English conductor and violinist Sir Neville Marriner with Joshua Bell serving as current music director— the chamber ensemble is directed/led by violinist Tomo Keller.
Dewberry School of Music Professor and Assistant Principal Bassoon of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra Christopher Jewell—who has served on faculty since 2018 and is an avid chamber musician with Eclipse Chamber Orchestra and his own quintet that has been featured on WETA Classical’s “Front Row Washington” series—says that this concert provides "a rare opportunity to hear this combination of winds and strings on a full chamber program. The lush classic Schubert Octet is combined with the virtuosic, acrobatic Françaix Octet, juxtaposed with a world premiere for the same combination of instruments, a welcome addition to the repertoire."
The Academy commissioned this new octet by Welsh composer Huw Watkins, Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music, for the ensemble’s fall 2025 tour, and this performance marks its world premiere. Jewell notes that chamber works for this particular instrumentation are scarce; "I can't think of much else for this combo. The Beethoven septet is close (and was the inspiration for Schubert's work). This particular combination of strings—a string quartet plus string bass—and winds—the classic wind quintet minus the brighter oboe and flute—results in a beautifully rich and dark timbre."
Program notes by Keith Horner for the concert explore connections between the pieces, noting that Schubert specifically modeled his octet after Beethoven's septet, and even used most of the same musicians 25 years later at its premiere. (Schubert would go on to serve as a pallbearer at Beethoven's funeral.) Françaix, in turn, dedicated his Octet "to the revered memory of Franz Schubert." Now Watkins continues the lineage with his world premiere. Juxtaposing these three octets in tandem—originating in 1824, 1972, and 2025 respectively—creates a fascinating dialogue between the works themselves, in addition to the unspoken dialogue between the audience and ensemble that makes live performance so thrilling.
An actual pre-performance conversation about the music will also provide the audience a chance to hear from Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble members Harvey De Souza, Principal First Violin, and Stephen Stirling, Principal Horn, starting one hour prior to the concert (please note this new start time for pre-performance discussions at Great Performances at Mason events this 2025–26 season.) Ensemble members De Souza and bassoonist Julie Price will also lead a master class with George Mason Dewberry School of Music students on Friday afternoon onstage at the Center for the Arts.
Reserve your tickets ($65, $56, $41—prices include fees; half-price for youth through Grade 12) for the ASMF Chamber Ensemble's evening performance to join us for “bravura music-making of a high order.” (Washington Classical Review).
View the full program here.