AUTUMN beckons and another superb season of Kendal Midday Concert Club is mere days away.

Yes, it is that time of the year to beat a lunchtime path to Kendal Town Hall to hear solo performers and ensembles of the highest quality.

Pianist Simon Callaghan and the Piatti Quartet open KMCC's 76th season of alternate Wednesday recitals in style on October 2 with pieces by Shostakovich and Brahms. A concert dedicated to the memory of Brian Paynes who died in April. A lovely man who loved his music, Brian penned the concert club's programme notes as well as write carefully crafted and authoritative reviews from KMCC (and Lakeland Sinfonia Concert Society) concerts for The Westmorland Gazette. An accomplished pianist himself, he was also the highly respected accompanist for Ulverston Choral Society.

Steinway Artist Simon Callaghan is an internationally renowned soloist and chamber musician. His recent tours have taken him to Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, throughout Europe and on two occasions to the Banff Centre in Canada. He has performed at all of the UK’s major concert halls including Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, St David’s Hall Cardiff and Manchester’s Bridgewater and Stoller Halls.

Simon’s interest in rarely performed works has led to invitations to perform concerti by Françaix and Tippett and to give the first UK performance since 1946 of Medtner’s third concerto. His rapidly expanding discography includes solo works by Sterndale Bennett, Parry, Sacheverell Coke, chamber music by Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, and two volumes of Delius with Parnassius Duo partner, Hiroaki Takenouchi. Simon puts great value on teaching, is director of music at Conway Hall, and is also a PhD researcher at the Royal Northern College of Music, working to bring the oeuvre of Roger Sacheverell Coke into the public domain.

Meanwhile, the Piatti Quartet - which takes its name from the great 19th century cellist Alfredo Piatti - is one of the most distinguished quartets around. Prizewinners at the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, the foursome has performed in all the major venues and festivals around the UK, and given concerts throughout the world, with national broadcasts on BBC Radio, ABC (Australia), RTÉ (Ireland) and France Musique (France).

The Piattis are renowned for their diverse programming and for passionate interpretations across the spectrum of quartet writing.

The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble continues the series on October 16 with Echoes of Venice conjuring up the 16th and 17th century sounds of the beautiful Italian city; dynamic pianist Ashley Fripp performs works by Schubert and Chopin on October 30 and November 13 sees tenor Charles Daniels, pianist Martin Dussek and the Bridge Quartet share the town hall stage playing works by Bridge, Gurney and Vaughan Williams.

The first half of Kendal Midday Concert Club's 2019/2020 season concludes with music by Mozart and Ravel from the Pomegranate Piano Trio on November 27 and a Christmas Celebration courtesy of Gitarrissima of Vienna on December 11.

Performances start at 1pm. Snack lunches are available from 11.50am.