Executive & Artistic Director
Thor Steingraber
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Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Joshua Bell, violin & music director
Thur Feb 26 | 8PM
Run time: approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission ________ Generously underwritten by Colburn Foundation ________ Program | Program Note
Academy of St Martin in the Fields | Joshua Bell
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Staff
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Program
IVES Variations on “America” (arr. Iain Farrington) BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 I. Allegro non troppo II. Adagio III. Allegro giocoso ________ Intermission ________ SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 38, Spring I. Andante un poco maestoso II. Larghetto III. Scherzo IV. Allegro animato e grazioso
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Musicians
Violin I
Joshua Bell Harvey de Souza Amanda Smith Gabrielle Painter Miranda Playfair Matthew Ward Martin Gwilym-Jones Sijie Chen Dorina Markoff
Violin II
Martin Burgess Fiona Brett Clare Hayes Richard Milone Antonia Kesel Miranda Dale Cecily Ward
Viola
Robert Smissen Fiona Bonds Ian Rathbone Nicholas Barr Matthew Maguire
Cello
Richard Harwood Will Schofield Judith Herbert Reinoud Ford Sarah Suckling
Bass
Lynda Houghton David Stark Alice Kent
Flute
Harry Winstanley Sarah Newbold
Oboe
James Hulme Rachel Ingleton
Clarinet
Fiona Cross Thomas Lessels
Bassoon
Julie Price Lorna West
Horn
Stephen Stirling Joanna Hensel Peter Francomb Jamie Shield
Trumpet
Mark David William O’Sullivan
Trombone
Rebecca Smith Andrew Cole Daniel West
Tuba
James Tavares
Timpani
Louise Lewis Goodwin
Percussion
Laura Bradford
Securing The Soraya’s Future
Support the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation to help us continue to bring new works, world premieres, and bold collaborations to life
In the fall of 2015, my family and I attended a performance at the Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN. My son, David, had received his undergraduate degree from CSUN many years prior, and we were pleased to see how the campus had grown. The recollections that stand out most in my memory from that evening were the extraordinary venue, its artistic excellence, and my first time meeting Thor Steingraber. For those reasons, my family decided in 2017 to invest in The Soraya’s future and long-term sustainability. In the 10 years since, we have come to know Thor and his vision. Through his leadership, we have witnessed values we so admire come to life on this stage — in the artists, their work, and the experiences they create for Los Angeles’ many communities and for CSUN students. Thor’s dedication and imagination serve so many, and it is my wish that his legacy be preserved. In honor and recognition of Thor’s accomplishments, I am pleased to announce a new fund supporting the art and artists who will continue this work: the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation. From the performance that first introduced my family to this majestic venue a decade ago, to the many moments of beauty and inspiration that have graced its stage since, we have Thor to thank. I hope you will join me and my family in supporting this effort — to ensure that these performances, and the spirit they embody, thrive long into the future.
— Soraya Sarah Nazarian
Program Note
Joshua Bell is a Soraya favorite, now appearing eight times with the chamber ensemble he leads, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and twice in other configurations. A typical season at The Soraya includes a combination of debut artists and regulars. Each offers unique value — some offer discovery and others depth. In mining the depths of Bell’s many appearances, we have the pleasure of contemplating both his playing and his leading the ensemble. I continue to marvel at his admirable capacity to multitask, and these 12 years are not enough to fully understand and appreciate the degree of mastery that is required. One part of Bell’s legacy here was our final pre-pandemic concert. For 18 months, those were the last notes of live music to ring in my ears, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the urgency and hope he brought to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on that historic occasion.
Gratefully,
Thor Steingraber
Executive and Artistic Director, Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
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. Today, with Music Director Joshua Bell, ASMF’s player-led approach empowers every member of the orchestra. This creates a direct line and electrifying connection between the orchestra and audiences, resulting in ambitious and collaborative performances that transcend the more traditional conductor-led model. Beyond the concert hall, the orchestra’s commitment to a social purpose manifests in impactful projects that harness the power of music to empower people. It has a longstanding history of work which connects with people experiencing homelessness, and the orchestra’s education projects develop autonomy and creativity among emerging musicians worldwide. The orchestra’s collective artistic responsibility fosters enduring collaborations with world-renowned soloists, exemplified by its 15-year partnership with music director and virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell. These collaborations showcase the benefits of trust and true artistic collaboration developed over time. Building on its rich global legacy, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields remains one of the world’s most-recorded orchestras, igniting a love for classical music in people around the world through live performance and digital initiatives. Today, the orchestra continues a busy international touring program alongside a significant presence in the United Kingdom, making it one of the country’s most celebrated cultural exports.
Joshua Bell
With a career spanning four decades, GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. He has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, and continues to maintain engagements as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, conductor, and as the music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. This season, Bell continues to champion the rediscovered Violin Concerto by Thomas de Hartmann, following his recent Diapason d’Or-winning world premiere recording of the work. With ASMF, he leads extensive tours on both sides of the Atlantic, including returns to Carnegie Hall and Vienna Konzerthaus. Other highlights include Bell’s first appearances as principal guest conductor of the New Jersey Symphony; concerto dates with the Houston Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, and Ottawa’s National Arts Centre Orchestra; and concerts and an Asian tour with Hamburg’s NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra. As well as giving recitals in the United States and Europe, he joins Steven Isserlis and Evgeny Kissin for trio programs in New York, Kansas City, Paris, Vienna, and Prague, and Bell reunites with Jeremy Denk for duo recitals at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Ravinia Festival. Bell has appeared three times as a guest star on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson and made numerous appearances on the Amazon series “Mozart in the Jungle.” His vast discography of more than 40 albums has garnered him GRAMMY, Mercury®, Gramophone, and OPUS KLASSIK awards. Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Bell began playing the violin at age 4, and at age 12, began studies with his mentor, Josef Gingold. At age 14, Bell debuted with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra and made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 17 with the St. Louis Symphony. At age 18, Bell signed with his first label, London Decca, and received the Avery Fisher Career Grant. In the following decades, Bell has been nominated for six GRAMMY Awards, named “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America, a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, and has received the Avery Fisher Prize. He also received the 2003 Indiana Governor’s Arts Award and in 2000 was named an “Indiana Living Legend.” Bell has performed for three American presidents and the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. He participated in President Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities’ first cultural mission to Cuba, resulting in an Emmy-nominated PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” special. Bell performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius violin.
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Staff
Chief Executive Officer | Annie Lydford Executive Director, Performance & Planning | Tim Davy Head of Concerts & Tours | Hannah Bache Concerts & Tours Manager | Anna Galloway Orchestra Personnel Manager | Charlotte Templeman Performance & Projects Assistant | Esme Sullivan Project Manager | Alex Tighe Stage Manager (U.S. Tour 2026) | Michael Pattison Librarian | Helen Harris Director of Development & External Affairs | Chris Martin Head of U.K. Development | Amy Scott Development Manager (American Friends) | Georgina Hamilton Marketing & Communications Manager | Rose Hall Development & Marketing Coordinator | William Lloyd Head of Social Purpose | Callum Given Head of Audiences and Community | Charlotte Cosgrove Finance Manager | Philip Knight Consulting Producer (U.S. Tour) | Leonard Stein Manager, Touring Logistics (U.S. Tour) | Peter Katz Company Manager (U.S. Tour) | John Pendleton
The Soraya
The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya/Producer) is an award-winning, state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theater that opened in 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center. Through a transformative gift by Younes and Soraya Nazarian, the venue was renamed The Soraya in 2017. The Soraya is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley.
Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber, in his 12th year leading the organization, sums up what makes The Soraya a central piece of Los Angeles arts and culture. “At The Soraya, we hold a high standard of excellence for every performance from a vast array of artistic disciplines, and we hold steadfast to our commitment to the value and impact of the performing arts in community-building, for the Valley’s 1.8 million residents and beyond.”
The Soraya’s 2025–26 Season is a journey through the expansive sounds of orchestras, the freestyle vibes of jazz, the innovations of dance luminaries, and a vast array of global voices. The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to excelling, innovating, and amplifying access for Valley residents, students, and arts lovers across Southern California.