Welcome to Kelso Music Society's 2022-2023 season. This exciting and varied programme follows our tradition of mixing established international artists with younger stars of the future. We are extremely grateful for those who supported us last year and look forward to welcoming back more of our core audience as well as attracting new audience members. Sadly, along with many arts organisations, our audience numbers were down for the past season and consequently we ended the year with a deficit of over £3000. We are determined to secure the future of your music society and if you feel that you can contribute in any way, large or small, we'd love to hear from you.
Kelso Music Society has existed for over 70 years. We attract our audience from an area much wider than simply this part of the Scottish Borders. Our performers frequently tell the committee that our iconic octagonal concert venue has one of the best accoustics around for chamber music as well as an enthusiastic and attentive audience.
This season, for the second consecutive year we have been fortunate to have been offered a concert provided by Tunnell Trust Artists. Looking through the archive of the Tunnell Trust shows how far-sighted their choice of musicians has been. Previous award winners have included Philip Higham, Lawrence Power, the Leopold String Trio, the Belcea, Castalian and Maxwell Quartets and appropriately for this season the Gould Piano Trio and Robert Plane.
In addition to providing such high calibre artists in our concert seasons the Music Society has been able to use their expertise in educational outreach work, often providing the first experience of the thrill of live music. Lis Dooner, aided by Stephen Tees, has developed this important element of the Society. In the last season they organised sessions in Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools. We are fortunate that this work has been made possible through grants given by Charity Begins at Home the William Syson Foundation and Chamber Music Scotland.
I very much look forward to meeting and talking to you at our concerts.
James Young (President)
