ANOTHER fine season of chamber music is promised for the region with music societies reaching out to new audiences and making attempts to attract younger concert goers, writes Peter Bevan.

In Ripon, the Cathedral Concert Society launches its season on Monday, October 12, with leading English soprano Elizabeth Watts accompanied by the society’s patron, Julius Drake.

Their programme includes the rarely heard song cycle Kraemerspiegel by Richard Strauss as well as songs by Liszt and Reynaldo Hahn.

On November 9 there’s more Liszt – including his Mephisto Waltz No. 1 – in a return visit by Australian pianist Olivia Sham who will also play Schumann, Brahms, Chopin and Schubert’s Wanderer Fantasy.

Concerts are on Monday evenings in the cathedral quire except on Sunday, December 6, when Classic Buskers (formerly the Cambridge Buskers) give an afternoon concert at 3pm performing seasonal favourites at Ripon Spa Hotel including The Nutcracker, Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, Vivaldi’s Winter and, so the programme promises, Beethoven’s Choral Symphony.

On January 11, the four-piece Ensemble Elata is joined by viola player Philip Dukes to play two wonderful piano quintets by Schumann and Shostakovich.

In a more unusual concert on February 8 the renowned Horn Section of Opera North, together with head of music Martin Pickard on piano, will present a varied programme which will include Richter, Mozart, Humperdinck and Bruckner among others.

The society’s final concert on March 14 is an especially interesting programme in which violinist Krysia Osostowicz and pianist Daniel Tong will perform three of Beethoven’s violin sonatas alongside specially commissioned companion pieces by Elspeth Brooke, Huw Watkins and Philip Venables.

In an effort to encourage young people, tickets for under-18s are free. Prices have also been been reduced this season to £15, £5 for students, or £70 for a subscription (£120 for joint membership). Details are in the brochure or online at riponconcerts.co.uk or contact chairman Roger Higson on 01765 635244.

Already under way, Sowerby Music’s season continues on Saturday, October 17, when the engaging young cellist, Laura van der Heijden, winner of the 2012 Young BBC Musician, makes her first appearance for the society.

Accompanied by Alison Rhind, she will play works by Beethoven, Rachmaninov and Schubert as well as more recent pieces by Schnittke and James MacMillan.

One of Britain’s finest brass quintets, Onyx Brass, appears on Saturday, November 14, together with baritone Mark Stone. Their programme on an American theme ranges from George Gershwin to Charles Ives including Barber, and Copland plus a bit of Bach.

Pursuing a policy of promoting younger artists, soprano Raphaela Papadakis appears on Saturday, December 12, accompanied by James Sherlock. The highlight of this winter afternoon concert should be Schumann’s cycle of love songs Frauenliebe und leben, and the programme includes Poulenc, Granados, Britten and Kate Whitley.

Again in the afternoon, on January 17, the Sullivan String Quartet from the Royal Northern College of Music joins forces with pianist Ryan Drucker to play Brahms’ magnificent piano quintet, preceded by one of Beethoven’s Op. 18 quartets.

Then on February 21, also at 3pm, the Rose Trio, comprising oboe, clarinet and bassoon, will combine original works by Gordon Jacob, Françaix and Ibert with transcriptions and arrangements of Mozart, Beethoven and Gershwin.

More concerts will follow, including a solo recital by Ryan Drucker.

In an attempt to attract new audiences, founder member Graham Merriam will present a series he’s calling Musical Bran Tubs on Tuesdays, November 2 and February 2, both at 6.30pm.

There will be audio clips and live performances as he introduces the wide range of wonderful music available generally and in their series. Admission is just a £1 with a bucket collection afterwards. Anyone interested is urged to go along, especially with a few friends.

These and all the concerts are held at St Oswald’s Church in Sowerby. Ticket prices for main concerts range from £12 to £16 (£1 cheaper in advance) and are available from Peter Rush on 01845 518001 or the White Rose Book Cafe in Thirsk.

Details of discounted rates and the full programme are at sowerbymusic.org.uk.