Academy of St Martin in the Fields celebrates 100 years of Neville Marriner

London-based chamber orchestra Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) has announced its upcoming celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the birth of its founder Sir Neville Marriner. The orchestra will celebrate the conductor and violinist in a series of concerts, commissions and events within its 2023-24 season.

The Marriner 100 project will celebrate the conductor’s life and legacy through a dedicated concert series, new commissions, special projects and community-focused events. The orchestra will also launch a charitable fund. The Marriner Fund will support projects, performances and innovation by ASMF players.

Sir Neville’s son, Andrew Marriner is a former member and current board member for ASMF. He said: ‘We now have the opportunity to ensure the legacy of [my father’s] vision and achievement by celebrating the centenary of his birth with a series of musical events. They will reflect his and the orchestra’s joint accomplishments and will energise support for the future of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields’ activities and wider musical activity in the country and beyond… Dad would be thrilled to know that the future development of the orchestra is being ambitiously and excitingly curated with this wide-ranging celebration of his remarkable life.’

Throughout the 23/24 season, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields will celebrate the life and legacy of its founder, Sir Neville Marriner (15 April 1924 – 2 October 2016), in his centenary year. Born in Lincoln in 1924, Sir Neville Marriner studied violin at the Royal College of Music and Paris Conservatoire before joining the London Symphony Orchestra. He went on to found ASMF in 1958 and remained the orchestra’s music director until 2011. Marriner died in October 2016 at the age of 92.

The Marriner 100 concert series will open on 15 April 2024, the 100th anniversary of Sir Neville’s birth with a concert at ASMF’s St Martin-in-the-Fields home exploring the ensemble’s history, from its first performance to current season. Sir Neville’s grandson, Douglas Marriner will also take part in the celebrations, joining ASMF music director Joshua Bell in the premiere of a new work commissioned for the occasion from composer Vince Mendoza (18 April). The final concert in the series (24 April) will take place at Lincoln Cathedral in the conductor’s town of birth.