The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields: An Un-regrettable Experience

So who exactly is St. Martin and why is he in a field? This is what I found myself wondering on Tuesday evening, October 28^th 2008, while sitting in one of the back pews of Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Midtown Memphis. On that particular evening I was fortunate enough to attend a performance by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, touring the states through Concerts International. I say fortunate both because I only had to pay $5 to see this show, which started at $50 per ticket (ah, the perks of being a student) and because this group of prodigiously talented musicians was traveling through Memphis on their 2008-2009 US tour. As expected with such a well-known name, the church was full. It was a predominantly older crowd, with a sprinkling of students. The program consisted of a string sextet by Brahms, Prelude and Scherzo by Shostakovich and a string octet by Mendelssohn. This small group of eight string players dazzled young and old audience members alike. Their skill was advanced, their technique was impeccable and their tonality (thanks both to the instrumentalists and the wonderful acoustics of the cavernous venue) was expressive, arresting—even celestial (pun intended, the performance being in a church and all). The group is based in London and the players come from all over the UK and one from Bombay, India. Needless to say, if you ever find yourself in the same city as these musicians, attend one of their concerts! You will not regret it. It’s an un-regrettable, highly enjoyable experience! For more information on this chamber group visit the following website: http://www.asmf.org/

- Brigid Hannon