TOP International musicians will be arriving in Bucks for Beaconsfield Music Society's 56th season.

The society was formed in 1942 as the Penn Music Club and is still run by a group of dedicated volunteers. It aims to bring top professional musicians to perform in the area.

Deputy chairman Sally Willison explains: "We feel it is something that helps people, especially people like the elderly who are not as able to get up to the West End to hear concerts like this.

"We always support young musicians. We have had some really talented young musicians playing in the past, like Tasmin Little, the violinist. She was played at the Proms in the Park and is probably England's most famous female violinist.

"This year we have our biggest budget ever for the society."

The first concert is being held tomorrow (Saturday), at Beaconsfield High School. The performers are Clonter Opera, a group of singers who are just taking their first steps towards a professional career after leaving music school.

Sally says: "We are starting off with opera -- Johann Strauss, The Spirit of Vienna. There are some very promising singers. In the past some of our singers are people who are now quite famous in the opera world."

On November 28, the Chamber Ensemble of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields is performing works from composers including Shostakovich and Brahms. On January 16, Tasmin Little will be playing accompanied by Piers Lane on piano. On February 13, Viv McLean will be playing a selection of music for piano and on March 13, there will be a special concert called The French Connection, which celebrates Beaconsfield twinning with the French town of Langres.

Swiss composer Richard Dubugnon will be introducing the concert and playing his own composition entitled The Franglais Suite.

Sally says: "Richard only graduated from college a couple of years ago and is already a professor at the Royal College of Music and a wonderful double bass player."

Membership for the season costs £35, which works out at £7 per concert, rather than £15 per concert for individual tickets. Membership also includes an invitation to the AGM Soiree.

A student membership is only £6 for the five concerts

Sally says: "There is wine in the intervals and a chance to meet the performers, which you wouldn't get to do otherwise. It really is something for the local people"

The future is looking bright for the Beaconsfield Music Society. It is planning a world music concert for the future, with steel bands, pan pipes, and Peruvian pipes, and members are already planning a millennium season entitled Sounds of the Century.

Sally adds: "It is hopefully going to be quite exciting."

% For membership details call (01494) 680275.

For individual tickets call (01494) 683905 or call in to Drysdales, 8 Burkes Parade

Competition Freetime has teamed up with the Beaconsfield Music Society to offer two readers the chance to win membership to this season's concerts.

All you have to do to enter is answer this question: Which famous violinist played at a Beaconsfield Music Society Concert at the beginning of her career?

Send your answer, together with your name, address and daytime telephone number, to Music Competition, c/o Kelly Clayton, Bucks Free Press, Gomm Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP13 7DW by Tuesday, November 3. Winners will be the first two correct answers drawn from the hat and will be announced in Freetime on the following Friday.

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