THE new Cockermouth Music Society programme has been announced, featuring a host of established and critically-acclaimed classical performers.

The new season of concerts at Cockermouth’s United Reformed Church gets under way in September, and will run until March 2018.

Each new season provides another fascinating dip into the wonderful world of music, and the new programme begins with exciting young cellist Laura van der Heijden, whose outstanding musical ability is universally recognised. She will be partnered by well-known Lakes-based pianist Martin Roscoe.

October's concert sees the 2015 winner of the world famous Leeds International Piano Competition, Anna Tsybuleva, performing Bach, Schumann and Debussy, and in November, thanks to the sponsorship from Orchestras Live, the charity which brings orchestral concerts to unexpected places and locations off the beaten path, Northern Chamber Orchestra makes a welcome return to the town. Their programme will include a Mozart Piano Concerto with pianist Viv McLean.

Joglaresa, an early music group, will play and sing in December and their vivid costumes and unusual instruments will enhance an appropriate celebration of Christmas Past.

The Artington String Quartet, who have previously performed in Cockermouth to great acclaim, bring music by Borodin, Beethoven and Shostakovitch in January, exceptional flautist Sarah Bennett and pianist Daniel King-Smith promise a feast of favourites from the likes of Gluck, Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi in February, and finally the award-winning Rautio Trio perform works by Mozart, Faure and Beethoven in March to complete the professional music season.

Programmes are available in local libraries and at Billy Bowman's Music Shop, in Cockermouth.