St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble at the Hylton May 3

Hylton Performing Arts Center will be presenting an afternoon of classical music on Sunday, May 3, at 4 p.m. when the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble makes its first appearance at the center on the Manassas campus of George Mason University off Godwin Drive.

Featuring several configurations of the ensemble from six to eight players, the afternoon’s program includes Brahms’ String Sextet No. 2 in G major, Op. 36; Shostakovich’s Prelude and Scherzo for String Octet, Op. 11; and Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings in Eb major, Op. 20, although the program is subject to change.

Brahms was in his early 30s when he wrote his sextet, while Shostakovich and Mendelssohn were still teenagers when they wrote their respective works, according to a news release.

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble was described in the release as having “exceptional musicianship, flawless technique and rich, polished sound.”

A pre-performance discussion, free to ticketholders, begins at 3:15 p.m.in the Hylton Center’s Buchanan Partners Art Gallery. Novant Health is the 2014-2015 Hylton Presents Season Sponsor.

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble was formed in 1967 to perform larger chamber works from quintets to octets. This talented ensemble draws from principal players from the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra who regularly work together, using the camaraderie to enhance the level of musicianship.

The ensemble currently features violinists Tomo Keller (guest leader), Harvey de Souza, Jennifer Godson and Martin Burgess; violists Robert Smissen and Fiona Bonds; and cellists Stephen Orton and Will Schofield. Many of these musicians have been performing as members of Academy of St. Martin in the Fields for more than two decades.

For more information on Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, go to http://www.asmf.org/about-us/chamber-ensemble/.

Tickets are $50, $43 and $30. Youth Discount: tickets are half price for youth through grade 12. Visit the ticket office (open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) or charge by phone at 888-945-2468 or visit HyltonCenter.org.

The Hylton Performing Arts Center is located on George Mason University’s Prince William Campus at 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va., 20110. Free parking is available in the lot next to the Hylton Center. For more information, go to HyltonCenter.org. Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/HyltonCenter and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @Hylton_PAC.