Not the end, but the beginning of a journey: Academy of St Martin in the Fields' CEO Annie Lydford reflects on what the acquisition of The Warehouse could mean for the Orchestra

Pictured (from left): Chris Martin (ASMF Director of Development & External Affairs), Julie Price (ASMF Principal Bassoon & Player Director), Elizabeth Szucs (Chief Executive, LFO), Ross Pople  (Founder LFO & The Warehouse) Martin Fraenkel (ASMF Chair of the Board of Trustees), Jo Hensel (ASMF Associate Principal Horn & Player Director), Annie Lydford (ASMF Chief Executive) [Photo: Matthew Johnson]

It was announced last month that the Academy of St Martin in the Fields had acquired London Festival Orchestra which owns The Warehouse in Waterloo, one of London’s most vital rehearsal and recording spaces. I was recently taken on a tour of The Warehouse by Annie Lydford, the Academy's CEO, giving me a chance to explore the possibilities that the building offers and to reflect on what it might mean for the Academy.

Ross Pople, founder and music director of London Festival Orchestra, established The Warehouse during the 1990s as a home for the orchestra and a dedicated space in the heart of London where orchestras, choirs and ensembles could rehearse and record. Over the decades The Warehouse became knitted into the UK’s musical infrastructure, hosting many of the world’s great artists, including Yehudi Menuhin, Daniel Barenboim, Mitsuko Uchida, Annie Lennox and Shirley Bassey. Following a near-fatal skiing accident in 2012 Pople was forced to put down the baton, bringing the London Festival Orchestra’s performing life to a premature end, but he continued at the helm of this cherished rehearsal and recording venue.

Annie describes The Warehouse as 'a beloved space' and certainly when I visited on a Friday afternoon it was busy with musicians rehearsing in both studios along with in other areas of the building. The Academy's acquisition of The Warehouse means that for the first time it will have a central London venue where it can bring all aspects of the organisation together.

The Warehouse [Photo: Matthew Johnson]

The Academy's acquisition of The Warehouse was funded by philanthropy, Annie emphasises that they raised the money before making the acquisition so that the orchestra's regular activities are not impeded. Though there is some interaction, as much of the philanthropy has come from the USA where the Academy's regular tours play a significant factor in the equation. 

It is a large space. There are two studios, suitable for both rehearsal and recording, the larger one capable of taking a full Beethoven-size orchestra for recording but also giving the possibility of more intimate concerts (the larger studio is license for up to 100 audience members). The existing offices are where the Academy's admin team are currently camping out, but the plans are for them to eventually move into what was Ross Pople's apartment, a two story space which will be able to house the library alongside the administration team, a meeting room and other spaces. One idea is to create some sort of arts hub, giving space (or hot-desks) to other arts organisations. These plans means that the existing spaces where the team are camping out will become ripe for development into further useful spaces. Added to this, there is planning permission for an added floor, which would open up further possibilities.

Having musicians, administration and library under one roof will have, Annie hopes, a transformative effect on the way the Academy functions allowing even the more mundane functions to happen more smoothly. But they are also bringing in their work with those people experiencing homelessness. The Academy's Ensemble Unheard works with those experiencing homelessness, giving workshops where they can try instruments and eventually create their own music. There is a forthcoming performance at the end of this month at the National Gallery with music inspired by the paintings. The Warehouse is now housing the regular weekly sessions of Ensemble Unheard as well as giving the participants a sense of their own space, something that is hoped will be transformative. The programme has grown a lot in the last few years, tripling or quadrupling in size. In addition to work with those experiencing homelessness, they go into schools where musicians from the Academy work with children.

The Warehouse has also been typically used by local neighbourhood groups and it is planned for this to continue. The space has always been useful to the industry and beyond, and plans are to make it more so.

The Academy has never had its own home before, but the team are not losing sight of them being a performing orchestra with events all around the world. When I chatted to Annie they were just back from a tour of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and will be going to Germany in the New Year, whilst in London there are the celebrations for St Martin in the Fields' 300th anniversary. Their 17 January concert at Cadogan Hall with Joshua Bell is already sold out. The intention is not to put the orchestra under an additional strain, and they are hiring a building manager to run The Warehouse.

The Academy has always been rooted in London, even though at times in its history they have not performed there a lot; in fact, a few years ago the number of London performances were deliberately increased. Looking ahead, there will be no reduction in the Academy's London season, and they are thinking of adding additional events at The Warehouse, creating partnerships with early career organisations. 

The Academy already has a scheme, Marriner Projects, whereby musicians in the orchestra can apply for funding for a project, using the money for preparation work. These currently include one of the viola players giving a concert series in Hertford, and a cellist going into schools playing music by women composers. Annie hopes that The Warehouse will be able to become a base for these sorts of project, either for rehearsals or performances. But she also feels that it will be interesting to see what the players wish to do with the space, what they might wish for. The way the Academy has been run, it mattes what the players want. The Academy is the sole shareholder in The Warehouse, so that whilst running it as a commercial operation every single pound profit ultimately goes into the orchestra.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields in its new home, The Warehouse [Photo: Matthew Johnson]       

The Warehouse was established by Ross Pople in the 1990s both as a home for the London Festival Orchestra and as a venue for rehearsal and recording spaces. Annie feels that the Academy's acquisition will not erase this history but add to it. She points out that Neville Marriner and Ross Pople knew each other well and that both orchestras, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the London Festival Orchestra, were founded as personal projects. They have now reached an interesting and exciting new stage of the building, where they plan to celebrate its history and look to the future.

The Academy takes its name from the church in which it gave its first performance (in 1959 under Sir Neville Marriner) and to which it has returned to performing regularly. The Academy's current Music Director, violinist Joshua Bell comments: "Throughout my past 15 years as the orchestra’s Music Director, many of my most rewarding musical experiences have come from working with the extraordinary musicians of the Academy. I have rehearsed with them many times at The Warehouse, so it is especially meaningful to see this much-loved space become the orchestra’s permanent home."

Now they have acquired The Warehouse, the Academy is taking a cautious approach to change but they currently have a public appeal for phase two, to find money for works needs on the building and further early developments. The appeal, Our Players. Our Purpose. Our Future. Our Home, is a campaign to raise a further £500,000 by April 2027. The funds will support the building’s transition into ASMF’s permanent home, its initial development and improvements, and expanded opportunities for musicians, communities and audiences.

Never miss out on future posts by following us

The blog is free, but I'd be delighted if you were to show your appreciation by buying me a coffee.

Elsewhere on this blog

• Not what we expected: the new Tosca at ENO has compelling dramatic tension, creating one of the most gripping accounts I have seen in a long time - review
• Charm & youthful engagement: Ellen Pearson & Laurence Kilsby join Nigel Foster to open the 2026 London Song Festival - concert review
• La sonnambula: John Wilkie's intelligent chamber account of Bellini's opera for HGO benefitted from a glorious title role from Eyra Norman - review 
• To capture the fullness of what choral singing is: composer Nathan James Dearden on his debut album, i breathe - interview
• Simplicity writ large: Iphigénie en Tauride makes an impact at English National Opera without impeding the glories of Gluck's music - review
• Complexity & beauty: soprano Paula Sides & pianist Sergey Rybin explore songs on cusp of Modernism & Romanticism in Of Love & Transience - review
• Forget Shakespeare: with Jacques Imbrailo & Haegee Lee as Hamlet & Ophélie, Chelsea Opera Group make a strong case for Ambroise Thomas's opera - opera review
• A gothic feast for the eyes with some very fine singing: Gothic Opera in the UK premiere of Halévy's La Dame de Pique - opera review
• Home