SKIPTON Music's new season gets under way on Tuesday - in front of a national audience.

Its first concert featuring the Escher String Quartet will be broadcast live on Radio 3.

"We are very pleased BBC Radio 3 is coming to broadcast one of our concerts," said concerts secretary Rowena (Bunty) Leder. "Music societies all over the UK constantly provide great pleasure to many people and thousands of volunteers who run the societies, are rarely recognised."

The quartet is from New York and has received wide acclaim for its profound musical insight and rare tonal beauty.

"I read three reviews about them within half an hour in three different newspaper, each praising them to the hilt, and thought I must book them," said Bunty.

The November concert, on the 17th, will feature pianist Angela Hewitt and will be preceded by Skipton Music's annual general meeting at 6.30pm.

Angela is one of the world's leading exponents of Bach and her Skipton concert will include the composer's Partita No 2 in C Minor and Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue. There will also be works by Scarlatti, Liszt, Ravel and Chabrier.

Another pianist, Yuanfan Yang, takes to the stage on Tuesday, December 8.

Although only 18, he is known throughout the world, having won the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2012 and the International Franz Liszt Competition in Weimar last year.

"He is going to be exceptional," said Bunty.

The New Year concert has double interest when tenor James Gilchrist joins forces with pianist Anna Tilbrook for a performance of Schubert's Die Schone Mullerin on Tuesday, January 12.

James is a formal choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge, while Anna has built a considerable reputation as a piano accompanist, collaborating with many leading singers and instrumentalists.

The Red Priest Baroque Quartet returns on Tuesday, February 9, with a programme including Handel's Messiah Suite, Zadok the Priest and the Harmonious Blacksmith Variations.

It will also perform at the annual schools concert during the afternoon, which will be attended by 300 children from 12 different primary schools.

"Red Priest has performed in Skipton twice before, but a long time ago," said Bunty. "All four are brilliant musicians, who perform from memory with virtuosity, emotion and compelling stagecraft."

The season comes to an end on Tuesday, March 15, with a return visit from the European Philharmonic Orchestra. With musicians drawn from 18 different countries, the orchestra receives private funding from Europe.

"Without that funding, we could not afford to book them," said Bunty.

Skipton Music is already looking forward to its 70th season next year and is finalising a concert with top violinist Alina Ibragimova.

Meanwhile concerts have returned to Skipton's newly-refurbished town hall and will start at 7.30pm.

Season tickets cost £70 and individual concert tickets £17. To book, telephone the box office on 01756 799912 or visit skiptonmusic.org.uk

telephone the Box Office on 01756 799912.