01 Sep 2020

Academy of St Martin in the Fields presents re:connect - a series of autumn concerts at St. Martin-in-the-Fields

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is thrilled to announce re:connect - an eight concert series with live socially distanced audiences at its namesake church, St. Martin-in-the-Fields. The autumn concerts will take place at 5pm & 7:30pm on two Saturdays per month with guest artists including baritone Roderick Williams, soprano Carolyn Sampson and composer-conductor-pianist Ryan Wigglesworth performing a wide range of repertoire.

The series begins with a poignant programme entitled Requiem For Our Time, honouring those who have suffered and lost their lives to COVID-19. It is also given in memory of Martin Loveday, a former cellist with the Academy who died from Coronavirus in April 2020. Pärt’s Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten opens the concert, followed by Williams and Sampson performing Fauré’s (arr. Rutter) Requiem with St Martin’s Voices, conducted by Andrew Earis (12 September).

Each concert is named after a theme from the experience of the pandemic including Regeneration, Isolation & Friendship,Mourning & Hope and Awakening. Overcoming Distance includes music by Bach and Mozart as well as Messiaen’s Abîme des Oiseaux, James MacMillan’s Interlude from ‘Since it was the day of Preparation’ and Copland’s Quiet City (26 September). In Connection, the Academy performs Eleanor Alberga’s Nightscape, conducted by the composer, alongside Mozart’s Serenade No. 10 ‘Gran Partita’ (21 November). The final concert will be a festive celebration (Friday 18 December).

Each performance will be filmed and the streams will go live on the following Thursday at 7.30pm on a pay-to-view basis - they will be available online for 30 days. The full line up of soloists and repertoire will be announced in due course.

Alan Watt, Chief Executive, Academy of St Martin in the Fields says : ‘ I am absolutely delighted that the orchestra and audiences can look forward to regular live concerts in the autumn after such a long time apart. How special to be returning to our namesake church, St. Martin-in-the-Fields and for people to be able to hear live music again within its walls. A lot has happened since we were last able to do this and we want to both celebrate coming together again as well as honour what a difficult time it has been for many.’

Andrew Earis, Director of Music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields says : ‘ It is wonderful to be able to begin welcoming live audiences back to St. Martin-in-the-Fields as we embark on our new vision for music at the church. I’m so pleased that our friends at the Academy will play such a large role in our Autumn season. After many long months of silence, we’ve all felt the hole of not having live music making in our lives and now it is time to enjoy it once again. ’

Requiem For Our Time , Saturday 12 September
Pärt Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten
Fauré Requiem (arr. Rutter)
Roderick Williams baritone
Carolyn Sampson soprano

Overcoming Distance, Saturday 26 September
Bach Sarabande from Suite No. 5
Messiaen Abîme des Oiseaux
MacMillan Horn Interlude from ‘ Since it was the day of Preparation’
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4
Copland Quiet City
Mozart Symphony No. 29

Regeneration, Saturday 10 October
Programme to be announced

Isolation & Friendship, Saturday 24 October
Programme to be announced

Mourning & Hope, Saturday 7 November
Programme to be announced

Connection, Saturday 21 November
Eleanor Alberga Nightscape
Mozart Serenade No. 10 ‘Gran Partita’

Awakening, Saturday 5 December
Programme to be announced
Ryan Wigglesworth

A Christmas Celebration, Friday 18 December
Programme to be announced

Tickets are available here .

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields and St. Martin-in-the-Fields church are closely following government guidance and each concert will adhere accordingly to the latest advice.