The Kensington and Chelsea Music Society

KCMS was founded in 1960, originally as a gramophone society, with the late John Juliver as it first Chairman. Now into our 51st year, we continue to flourish by hosting seven concerts a year, having grown into an ambitious and highly respected London music society. Our main objective is to provide a London platform for exciting new talent and young classical musicians. Over the years, we have been privileged with performances from internationally acclaimed artists such as John Lill, Imogen Cooper, John Ogden, Radu Lupu, Michiko Uchida, Felicity Lott, and Mike Westbrook as well as talks and masterclasses from Richard Baker, Carl Davis, James Lockhart and Peter Pears.

Following the death of our President, Lord Harewood, we shall be consulting with our membership in our wish to seek out a worthy successor. We are most grateful to our distinguished Vice-Presidents for their continued encouragement and support of our concert season. The Kensington and Chelsea Music Society

continues to enjoy a cordial relationship with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and with their Arts and Libraries Service which is responsible for the running of Leighton House.

We have celebrated a highly successful 50th anniversary year back at Leighton House, where our concerts will also be performed this coming season. It is a perfect venue with a fine acoustic for chamber music. The first "musical party" at Leighton House was organised by Lord Leighton in May 1868 and KCMS builds on that tradition. We have come to regard it as our spiritual home and again take pride in presenting young musicians of the highest international quality in our programme. We hope that you will consider becoming a Friend of KCMS to the enjoy the whole season of concerts. Alternatively, we encourage you to come and hear some truly remarkable musicians and track the names of those who will dominate chamber music for many years to come.