Neville Marriner

As a charter playing member under Neville Marriner for nine years, its orchestra manager for five, a current subscriber, and a very concerned member of our musicians union, I feel further clarification is essential. The orchestra itself is very much in tune with its new music director, Iona Brown. Previous to her appointment, despite distasteful and intimidating tactics of those few who opposed her, she won a strong secret-ballot vote of confidence, and has since strengthened her acceptance with the group and the public with proven artistic achievement.

When he left here 10 years ago, eight seasons after launching the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and--before that--having made an international name with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner set out bravely to conquer the symphonic world. No more Baroque scholarship. No more Classical miniatures. No more da camera settings.

Question: Do I address you as Sir Neville? * Answer. I respond to almost anything. If you wanted to be incredibly formal, it is Sir plus the Christian name. But Hey, you! is quite enough. Q. The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is the most recorded chamber orchestra in the world, having made more than 1,000 recordings. Last year, the orchestra earned the Queen's Award for Export Achievement. Was that an honorary award, or were there precise criteria? A.

Neville Marriner is said to be the most prolific conductor in the history of recorded music; given the current state of the classical industry, he may well keep that distinction permanently. Many of us were weaned on his enormous catalog, mostly with his Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields -- and even in the iPod era, when we reach for a reference copy of something from the chamber orchestra repertoire, the chances are good that it will be a sparkling Marriner edition.

As some 40-year-olds find out, you can go home again, but sticking around may not be so easy. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1968 by British conductor Neville Marriner (although its first concert wasn't until 1969), and Saturday night it began its 40th anniversary season with a special gala led by Marriner at the Ambassador Auditorium, where it once performed. But the concert was a one-time thing. Marriner, who led LACO until 1978, is 84.

Donna Perlmutter's interview with Sir Neville Marriner was both refreshing and candid ("Musical Rounds of a Knighted Marriner," Sept. 18). As a musician, I was completely shocked by Sir Neville's choice of words about doing some musical things better than others. Saying that being "Jewish and neurotic" would make a person better equipped to conduct Mahler is as relevant as stating that being Norwegian and blond makes a person better equipped to perform Grieg. Say it isn't so, Sir Neville--a man of your stature should not stoop to making totally irrational statements associating race or religion with psychological shortcomings.

Iona Brown, music director of both the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in England and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra in Oslo, has been appointed music adviser to Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO). Brown replaces music director Gerard Schwarz, who submitted his resignation last year and whose final concert at the helm of the orchestra takes place June 1. A protegee of former LACO music director Neville Marriner--she joined his Academy of St.

Edo de Waart will be the music director of the Minnesota Orchestra beginning with the 1986-87 season, the Minnesota Orchestral Assn. announced Thursday. He will succeed current music director Sir Neville Marriner, who will leave his post in May, 1986. Marriner was knighted in June. Under terms of the four-year agreement, De Waart, formerly music director of the San Francisco Symphony, will conduct 10 to 12 weeks of concerts during his inaugural season.