SKIPTON Music is recognised as one of the most prestigious music societies in the North of England and its 2016/17 season once again has artists of national and international standing.

The winner of the 2015 Leeds Piano Competition, Ukrainian Anna Tsybuleva, will perform at Skipton Town Hall on January 24, 2017, playing CPE Bach, Schumann and Debussy.

The following month the Aurora Wind Ensemble - flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn - will give a concert at 2pm for 300 children and then the 7.30pm concert as usual for Skipton Music concertgoers.

On December 13, Russian violinist, Alina Ibragimova, will play solo Bach as she did during the 2015 BBC Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.

Her recital will also include early 20th-century works by Eugene Ysaye and so features playing on both modern and period instruments.

The Sacconi String Quartet with clarinetist, Robert Plane, will open the Concert Season on October 18, with music by Haydn, Weber, Glazunov and York Bowen.

String quartet players have an unrivalled wealth of repertoire available to draw upon, and a performance by such a group has long been a particularly popular feature of the Skipton Music concert season.

On November 15, Yorkshire-born soprano Sarah Fox will sing Schubert, Strauss, Canteloube and Britten.

Sarah sang at the 'Last Night of the Proms' at Grassington Festival in 2015 and it was on the strength of hearing this performance that concerts secretary, Bunty Leder, booked her for Skipton Music.

The last concert of the season will be given by the York-based Clerkes of All Saints Chamber Choir.

Their programme has the title ‘Icons: Songs of Devotion and Renewal’ and includes music by Arvo Part, Poulenc and Bob Chilcott.

They will be conducted by Toby Wardman, the current musical director of Skipton Choral Society.