Haddington Concert Society celebrates 40 years of chamber music at St Mary's Kirk

For four decades, a small East Lothian town has been welcoming world-class musicians. Haddington Concert Society is celebrating its 40th anniversary this season, having presented around 300 concerts since it was founded in 1986 as Haddington Concert Music Club.

The anniversary season opened on Sunday 4 October at Haddington Parish at St Mary's Kirk. Polish violinist Maria Wloszczowska, a favourite at the Lammermuir Festival, performed with the celebrated Scottish pianist Alasdair Beatson, the society's new patron. Their programme featured Mozart, Schubert and Richard Strauss, plus two short works by the young Scottish-Greek composer Electra Perivolaris, including a new piece for solo piano written to mark the anniversary. A reception followed, with support from the Stevenston Charitable Trust.

The celebrations continue on Sunday 1 November with an afternoon of wind music. Clarinettist Maximiliano Martin, principal clarinet of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, returns for the anniversary season alongside fellow SCO principals Cerys Ambrose-Evans on bassoon and Andre Cebrian on flute, joined by Indonesian pianist Imma Setiadi. Their programme includes works by Widor, Chaminade, Saint-Saens, Villa-Lobos and Glinka. The concert comes 40 years and one month after the society's very first performance, by The North Winds.

From October to April, the society runs its annual Music Close Up series. Over the years, works by 373 composers have been performed, from anonymous medieval masters to composers working today. Beethoven is the most frequently played, with 78 works, while Mozart and Haydn share second place with 50 each.

The society says that as well as musicians of international renown, young musicians of outstanding talent regularly take to the stage. It also has its own Bosendorfer piano, which Electra Perivolaris has played.

The November concert begins at 3pm, with tickets at £18 in advance or £20 at the door. Under-26s can attend concerts for free, which makes the series a good introduction to chamber music for young people in the county.

Tickets for Music Close Up concerts are available through TicketSource, and more information is on the Haddington Concert Society website.