Academy of St Martin in the Fields portrait

Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Academy of St Martin in the Fields is a popular Classical orchestra, formed on January 1, 1959.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) is an English chamber orchestra, based in London. Sir Neville Marriner founded the ensemble as The Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields in London as a small, conductorless string group. The original group numbered 11, all male. The ensemble's name comes from Trafalgar Square's St Martin-in-the-Fields church, where the orchestra gave its first concert on November 13, 1959. In 1988, the ASMF dropped the hyphens from its full name. .