CITY MUSIC SOCIETY
Music in the City

Ivan Sutton MBE   
  Ivan Sutton MBE
       1914-1996

Inspired by the famous series of concerts given during World War II by Dame Myra Hess at the National Gallery and the Royal Exchange, City Music Society was founded in 1943 by the late Ivan Sutton and is one of the country's leading music societies. The Society presents around 26 concerts per year and has over 2000 lunchtime and early evening concerts to its credit. It completed its 60th-anniversary season in April 2004.

In addition to featuring well-established musicians, it has always been the Society's policy to invite outstanding young professional artists who are at the beginning of their careers, many of whom have since attained international status. From January to March 2004 the Society presented a new series of lunchtime concerts running parallel with the series at Bishopsgate on Tuesdays. This Free Winter Series was renewed in January 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 in collaboration with the City of London Corporation, the City of London Festival and the City of London Sinfonia and the seventh Free Winter Series will begin in January 2010. The series at Bishopsgate interwove concerts in the Free Winter Series with a new series promoting the best young musicians in the UK.

Members of the Society are more than just passive listeners. Over the years the Society has commissioned many new works - on average one every three years - from a wide and diverse range of British composers, including Roger Smalley, Nicholas Maw, Diana Burrell, Richard Rodney Bennett, Elizabeth Maconchy, Phyllis Tate, Robin Holloway, John McCabe, Geoffrey Burgon, Peter-Paul Nash, Kevin Volans and Michael Berkeley.

PRE-CONCERT TALKS\
In collaboration with Bishopsgate Institute we are continuing pre-concert talks before some of the Tuesday lunchtime concerts. See Lunchtime Concerts for details.

SPECIAL OFFER!
 Non-members may now attend the Society's Goldsmiths' Hall concerts at a special rate.
See Early Evening Concerts page for details.

Full details of the Autumn 2010 Series will be announced on this website in July 2010.

SPECIAL NOTICE
Membership subscriptions change in January 2010. Please note the new rate for Ordinary and Joint Membership (see Membership Details).



STUDENT OFFER

   Are you a full-time student? Would you like to try something different? Come along and enjoy our chamber music concerts!

   The City Music Society promotes six concerts per year in the fabulous surroundings of Goldsmiths' Hall in the City of London.

   Thanks to the support of the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust, the Society is now able to offer students between the ages of 8 and 22 in    full-time education the opportunity to attend our concerts at no cost! (Tickets normally cost £18 for members.)

   To take advantage of this offer you need to contact Jenny Salmon on 020-8693 7546 or e-mail edward665@btinternet.com at least
   two days before the concert.
   
   Entry is not permitted on the night without prior booking. Proof of educational status may be required.

   For details of the three Autumn concerts see the Evening Concerts page of our website.


The City Music Society's Sponsors and supporters are:
  • The Goldsmiths' Company
  • The Bishopsgate Foundation
  • Cavatina Chamber Music Trust
  • Clifford Chance
  • Coutts & Co.
  • Herbert Smith
  • The Mercers' Company
  • PKF (UK) LLP
  • The Tallow Chandlers' Company

    The Free Winter Series is funded and promoted by:

  • The Corporation of the City of London
    Individual concerts are supported by:

  • The Eric Falk Trust
  • The Royal Philharmonic Society

The Society depends on sponsorship and donations. To discuss how you and your company can support the Society's work, please contact us on 020 8542 0950.

Individuals can now join our Friends Scheme - see membership form.

You can write to the Society at citymusicsociety@btopenworld.com.

 

Latest update: 31 December 2009

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