Joshua Bell to Lead Academy of St Martin in the Fields in Sarasota Concert

Sarasota Concert Association will present Grammy Award–winning violinist Joshua Bell leading the Academy of St Martin in the Fields on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will take place at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

The program will include Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3, with Bell appearing as soloist while also directing the orchestra. Bell has served as Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields since 2011, leading the ensemble in international performances and recordings.

Bell’s career spans more than four decades and includes appearances with major orchestras worldwide. He performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius. The Washington Post has described Bell as “one of the most imaginative, technically gifted and altogether extraordinary violinists of our time,” while South Florida Classical Review has cited his “exquisite technique” and “vaulted singing tone.”

Founded in 1959 by Sir Neville Marriner, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields is known for its chamber orchestra repertoire and international touring. The ensemble has been described by the Dallas Morning News as “technically superb and generously expressive.”