Come February several SFCM students will be playing on the hallowed stage of Davies Symphony Hall for a special performance with Joshua Bell and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. 

Thirty SFCM students will perform with Bell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in the San Francisco Symphony’s Great Performers Series at Davies Symphony Hall on February 26, 2025 for a performance of Scheherazade by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. 

The SFCM Orchestra, conducted by Edwin Outwater.

The concert will complete a three day artistic residency at SFCM for the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, showcasing exceptional next generation musicians alongside Music Director Bell and the acclaimed international ensemble. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields are Opus 3 Artists, part of the growing Alliance SFCM shares with Askonas Holt and PENTATONE Records. 

“We are looking forward to celebrating this landmark residency and the many days spent together with a final performance at Davies Hall,” said Annie Lydford, the chief executive of ASMF, “As an orchestra, we are wholeheartedly committed to having the most positive possible impact when we tour, spending proper time with the student groups with whom we collaborate, and ensuring that ASMF's distinctive focus on the creative empowerment of its members is something that we proactively share with the next generation of musicians.”

Joshua Bell and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

This collaboration is the latest in a long list of side-by-side performances, masterclasses, and innovative experiences that create unparalleled educational opportunities for students to learn from, and perform with, the most accomplished artists in the world, which began when SFCM first acquired Opus 3 Artists in 2020.

As part of the concert, SFCM student Fiona Cunninghame-Murray, a violin student of faculty member Chen Zhao, will perform with Bell for a performance of Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, by Johann Sebastian Bach. Cunninghame-Murray won this opportunity through a competition held at SFCM in October. 

“We are so proud of Fiona and commend her, and the other finalists, for their hard work and commitment to excellence,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jonas Wright, “This opportunity for Fiona, along with the 30+ students that will be playing side-by-side with Academy of St Martin in the Field, is a direct result of the Alliance that SFCM has built between Opus 3 Artists, Askonas Holt and PENTATONE Records and the Conservatory, giving SFCM students unique opportunities that exist at no other conservatory or school of music.”

SFCM student Fiona Cunninghame-Murray.

“Growing up, Joshua Bell was one of my idols so it feels surreal to be playing this piece with him,” said Fiona Cunninghame-Murray. “It is such an honor to play in Davies Hall, I have seen so many incredible soloists play there and I am very grateful to be able to follow in the footsteps of these musicians,” she added.

Founded in 1958 by Sir Neville Marriner, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields has evolved into a musical powerhouse, an orchestra renowned across the world for its commitment to the musical freedom of its players and the sharing of joyful, inspiring performances. The position of the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields is generously supported by the Berry Charitable Foundation.

“Our aim is that this project challenges and inspires SFCM students during the course of their studies, enhancing these skills for whichever path they choose to take in the future,” Lydford added. 

Wright continued, saying of the exciting new collaboration, “We look forward to watching our students perform with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields in February at the iconic Davies Symphony Hall.”

Learn more about SFCM’s growing Alliance partnerships. 
Obtain tickets to see Joshua Bell & Academy of St Martin in the Fields performing with students from SFCM on February 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM at Davies Symphony Hall.