Still conducting into his 90s, the indefatigable founder of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields has passed away.

Sir Neville Marriner, one of the world’s leading conductors and the founder of the influential chamber orchestra the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, died peacefully in his sleep on October 2. Sir Neville continued to conduct into his 90s, leading the Academy in a 90th birthday concert featuring the music of Mozart, Saint-Saëns and Elgar in April 2014. He conducted his final concert with the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto last Thursday, only two days before his death.

^{Sir Neville Marriner. Photo courtesy of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields}

The Academy’s Music Director Joshua Bell said, “I am deeply saddened by the news of Sir Neville Marriner’s passing. He was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever known. I will remember him for his brilliance, his integrity, and his humour, both on and off the concert platform. Maestro Marriner will always be the heart and soul of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and we musicians of the orchestra will miss him dearly.”

Taking its name from the Trafalgar Square church where it first performed, the Academy has one of the largest discographies of any chamber orchestras in the world, with over 500 albums, including the soundtrack to Milos Forman’s 1984 Academy Award- winning film of Peter Shaffer’s film Amadeus. One of the most popular classical music recordings of all time, it sold over 6.5 million copies, and is credited with introducing umpteen listeners to the music of Mozart.

Born on April 15, 1924 in Lincoln, Marriner was taught violin by his father before studying at the Royal College of Music from age 13, and then later at the Paris Conservatoire. He began his career playing in a string quartet and trio. Called up during the war, he served with the Royal Navy, running motorboat raids in to France before being sent home with kidney damage.

In 1948, after a year teaching at Eton College, he joined the Royal Academy of Music as a professor. He performed as a violinist in the London Philharmonic Orchestra for four years from 1952, then in 1956 was appointed principal second violin with the London Symphony Orchestra.

In 1959, frustrated by a lack of discipline among the LSO strings, he formed a chamber ensemble with a group of friends who used to gather at his flat to play chamber music for fun, with himself as lead violin. And so the Academy of St Martin in the Fields was born. Attending their first concert, the managing director of the newly founded L’Oiseau Lyre record label signed them on the spot.

Run by Marriner without subsidy, with the help of his wife Molly, the Academy’s fresh, technically brilliant interpretations of the pre-classical and classical repertoire were welcomed as a revelation. Though a younger generation sought a more authentic sound on original instruments, Marriner saw no reason not to use modern instruments and techniques and moved on to repertoire from the Romantic and early modern period.

He began his conducting career in 1969 after studying in the US. He was the first Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, where his success led to offers to conduct many other major American orchestras. At the same time, he expanded the Academy, boosting its ranks from 45 to 70.

In 1979, he became Music Director and Principal Conductor of both the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Südwest Deutsche Radio Orchestra in Stuttgart, positions he held until the late 1980s. Meanwhile, he remained Music Director of the Academy until 2011 when he became Life President.

A very likeable character whose expertise was in demand around the world, Marriner spent most of his career constantly on tour. At the age of 80 he observed: “The awful thing about a conductor becoming geriatric is that you seem to become more desirable, not less. I just wish all these offers had come in when I was 30.”

Sir Neville was appointed a CBE in 1979. He was knighted in 1985 and in 2015 was appointed a Companion of Honour.

“Sir Neville’s artistic and recording legacy, not only with the Academy but with orchestras and audiences worldwide is immense,” said Academy Chairman Paul Aylieff. “He will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with him, and the Academy will ensure it continues to be an excellent and fitting tribute to Sir Neville.”