FEW lunchtime musical gatherings can match the quality of artistes offered in the Kendal Midday Concert Club programme.

To help prove the point, opening the new KMCC season next Wednesday, October 3, is one of the nation's most distinguished chamber ensembles, the Allegri Quartet.

Now in its 65th year, the Allegri was founded in 1953 by Eli Goren and William Pleeth.

Down the years other well-known names such as Hugh Maguire, David Roth, Patrick Ireland and Bruno Schrecker have graced its ranks and the likes of Britten, Tippett, Elizabeth Maconchy, Anthony Payne and many other prominent composers have worked with them.

Always innovative, the quartet has given more than 60 world premieres since 1964, including specially commissioned pieces by James MacMillan, Jonathan Harvey and Colin Matthews.

Following Allegri, KMCC's fortnightly series of Wednesday lunchtime concerts at Kendal Town Hall continues on October 17 with the Dunedin Consort.

The Edinburgh-based outfit was founded in 1997 by Ben Parry and Susan Hamilton as a vocal ensemble and is named after Din Eidyn, the ancient Celtic name of Edinburgh Castle. Since 2003, and under the musical direction of John Butt, professor of music at Glasgow University, the ensemble - now involving both vocal and instrumental forces - has become Scotland’s leading specialist period instrument ensemble.

The consort ranges in size from three to four performers for its small chamber music programmes to 70 or more performers for the large choral works. Many of the singers and instrumentalists have worked with the ensemble for years. It broadcasts frequently on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Scotland and has won many recording awards.

October 31 sees pianist, Robin Green, and cellist, Christian Elliot, share the town hall stage. Both sought after soloists and chamber musicians, Robin is also in demand as a conductor; Christian a well thought of composer.

Moving on to November 13, and the Maggini Quartet join the merry throng.

The eminent quartet was formed in 1988, its name taken from the 16th Century violin maker, Giovanni Paolo Maggini. They appear frequently in prestigious concert series at home and abroad and make regular media broadcasts. While the Magginis perform and record standard repertory works by Haydn, Schubert and others, their chief focus is early 20th Century British music: pieces by Vaughan Williams, Britten Bliss, Bax, Moeran, Elgar and many others. The quartet’s commitment to new music has led to important commissions, including works by James MacMillan, Robert Simpson and Roxanna Panufnik. Their collaboration with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, performing and recording his ten Naxos Quartets, was apparently hailed as a "21st Century landmark."

Outstanding piano player and long time KMCC friend Martin Tirimo returns to the series on November 28 with his duet partner Atsuko Kawakami for a four-hander and the concert on the run up to Christmas is from the Ferio Saxophone Quartet, an award-winning outfit that's emerged as one of the leaders in the sax-playing field. On the Kendal Town Hall stage on December 12, the foursome made their debut at the Purcell Room in 2015 and have since collected several accolades along the way.

Into 2019, and the second half of the season of 12 concerts begins on January 9, with KMCC favourites, the Royal Northern Sinfonia Ensemble. The Magnard Ensemble wind quintet follows on January 23; the Rowland Kudritskaya of violin and piano perform on February 6 and rising star of solo piano Clare Hammond will be on the club's Steinway on February 20.

The Primrose Piano Quartet returns to KMCC on March 6 and clarinettist Rob Plane and the Castalian Quartet wrap up the club's 75th season on March 20.

Performances start at 1pm.

As usual, snack lunches are available from 11.50am.