Dolgellau Music Club has entered its 40th season.

In October 1985 the club put on concerts under the leadership of cellist Nicholas Jones who also founded the Aberystwyth International Music Festival.

Nick, from Aberangell, is Head of Strings at Chetham's in Manchester and Tutor in Cello at the Royal Northern College. It is fitting he should be invited back to give a recital in the club's 40th season.

In its first season the club's concerts, like those of its 1960s predecessor, were at Neuadd Idris, but they moved to Coleg Meirionnydd hall, know Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, whose wood panelling (created in the 1930s by Dr Williams School) provides a fine acoustic admired by many musicians who’ve played there.

The club is delighted to have hosted players at the start of their careers, like viola player and current Artist in Residence at London's Southbank Centre Lawrence Power, or the award-winning Belcea String Quartet.

The Countess of Munster Musical Trust picks promising musicians like these and makes them available and affordable to clubs.

Choirs like Dolgellau's Côr Bro Meirion, Côr Eifionydd, Côr Rhuthun, Cantorion Monteverdi and the Sirenian Singers have performed. Vocal recitals sometimes include established names like Helen Field or Jeremy Huw Williams, or Blue Ribband winners like Sian Meinir or Trevor Lloyd Evans, often accompanied by Club President Eirian Owen. This will be the case on 1 November, when Eirian appears with soprano Erin Rossington and tenor Rhys Meilyr.

School workshops are a regular feature of the club's provision, and recently they have helped young musicians to meet the cost of lessons, music, travel and exams.

Details of past performances and events can be found on dolgellaumusicclub.org.uk, in the ‘Cambrian News’ and the local archives service.

This season opens on 4 October (7.30pm) in Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor with a concert by London chamber ensemble, Lumas Winds.

Winners of the 71st Royal Overseas League Mixed Ensemble Prize in 2023, Lumas are committed ambassadors for wind chamber music and the rich variety of repertoire that it offers.

Lumas have performed at Wigmore Hall and at the Corbridge, Ironstone and Winchester Chamber Music Festivals.

Their programme for Dolgellau will include pieces by Glinka, Jean Françaix, Mozart, Jacques Ibert and William Mathias.

This should prove an exhilarating start to another varied seven-concert season, of which full details can be found at dolgellaumusicclub.org.uk.