AFTER 39 YEARS of finding talent and bringing classical performances to the people, Halton Music Society will promote its last concert on Saturday 20th March at another of the borough's stoic little gems, The Brindley, in Runcorn.

The society has decided to dissolve. From its inauguration in May 1971, through the efforts of many members, HMS has attracted professional, classical musicians of the highest quality to the town. It has involved itself with the musical education of the young and has helped rising young artists at the start of their career.

One such talent was Martin Roscoe, a local man, who first performed for the Society in 1978 when the cost of piano hire was larger than his fee. He will play in this final concert as an artist of international repute, whose services to music have recently been recognised with the award of an Honorary Doctorate of Music at the University of Hull.

The Manchester Chamber Ensemble will join him. It is made up of musicians of exceptional talent such as Richard Howarth, violinist, who has worked as leader of many British orchestras including the Camerata and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and, in recent years, is in increasing demand as a conductor. Then there is Richard Williamson, who has been principal viola player in renowned orchestras in Australia and in London, including the English Chamber Orchestra and the City of London Sinfonia; Jonathan Price, cellist, who has worked and performed for the BBC for 10 years, is cello tutor at Manchester University and gives concerts throughout Europe and north and south America.

These masters of their art will perform three piano quartets. The gentle and imaginative quartet K 493 by Mozart will be followed by that of Faure’s no. 2, which is alternately tender and impetuously fiery. The concert ends with No. 3 by Brahms who, it is believed, wrote his quartet as a declaration of his love for Clara Schumann.

Halton Music Society will bow out on a memorably high note and The Brindley will continue to promote classical concerts in the future.

Tickets, price £12.50 concessions £10.50 are on sale at the Brindley Box Office, High Street, Runcorn, telephone 0151 907 8360 or online at www.thebrindley.org.uk.