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About Us |
Meet the Team
The aim of the Kelso Music Society is to attract the finest musicians from Scotland and beyond to our wonderful resonant and attractive eighteenth century church in the heart of the Scottish Borders.
James Young - PresidentI had a varied career in music education, teaching in primary, secondary, specialist music school and instrumental service. 
Fiona Watson - TreasurerFiona started as the tea-lady but made too good a job of counting the tea money so got promoted to Treasurer. 
Lis Dooner
Originally from Edinburgh, Lis studied flute in Glasgow and London where she freelanced for years before returning to Scotland to join the SCO. Lis played with the SCO for 25 years. Her experience with the much-admired SCO education department helps her with setting up education projects for KMS. |
Christine Peters - Chair
Christine Peters is a retired head teacher who worked for forty years in North London. She was a regular attender at Wigmore Hall, and feared that she would greatly miss the wonderful music she heard there when she moved to the Borders. When she made the move twelve years ago, she was both astonished and delighted to find that Kelso Music Society enabled her to continue attending concerts given by musicians of the highest standard. 
Graeme WatsonBorn and brought up in the north-east of England, but is now resident just over the border in Yetholm. 
Anne Coles - Secretary
Anne is a scientist with lifelong interest in music of many flavours. Anne wore out Julian Bream’s LPs at an early age. |
Stephen Tees
Stephen hails from Aberdeen but spent his working life around London as a freelance viola player. 
Viv YoungRetired teacher of cello, and also bass, working in London and Edinburgh schools. Still plays both instruments, (though not simultaneously), in the Borders, Edinburgh and Dumfries and Galloway. |
Message from James Young - 2026/27 Season
'At a well attended public meeting on September 14 1951 in the Lesser Tait Hall, with Mr Eric Whitehead LRAM, Music Superviser for the County of Roxburgh, in the chair, it was decided by common consent, to form a society with the object of encouraging the appreciation of music...'
These are the opening words of the minutes of the inaugural meeting of Kelso and District Music Society, the forerunner of Kelso Music Society. The first concert in October 1951 featured vocal and pianoforte solos as well as piano trio and string quartet extracts, given by local amateur musicians and the above named Mr Whitehead. In its early years it followed this pattern, also introducing lectures and films on music as well as including visits by other local societies such as Galashiels Clef Club and Selkirk and Hawick Music Societies. Gradually more professional musicians appeared in between the members' nights and distinguished performers, both Scotland based and international, found their way into the seasons, sometimes courtesy of Arts Council funding.
75 years later Kelso Music Society is pleased to present a season which continues this pattern of Scotland-based and international performers. The Kelso and District Music Society was perhaps more cautious in its choice of performers and repertoire, but it mirrored the views of its time. We are keen to focus on classical music but also to showcase cross-genre performances and sometimes less traditional groups.
Our first concert brings back Anna Michels with two friends to present an original evening centred round Borders Ballads. Later the same month we showcase opus13, the recent winners of the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition as part of their tour of the UK.
In November we are delighted to have the amazing young Ukranian pianist Khrystyna Mychailichenko who was sadly unable to play in a previous season. This is followed by an unique afternoon of music presented by a couple, Su-a Lee and Hamish Napier whose musical interests constantly cross borders.
In January we once more focus on our lovely piano in a widely ranging recital given by another talented musician, Adam Johnson. This is followed by an imaginative piece of programming, where Roderick Williams appears as both baritone and arranger of the lovely Schubert song cycle 'Die Schöne Müllerin' with the Carducci Quartet. This concert is being subsidised through the legacy of our much missed committee member, Anne Fingland..
We are always happy to present young emerging talent and our final concert features the Catil Wind Quintet, who are amongst the latest Tunnell Trust Award winners. They have agreed to squeeze us in between their other Scottish tours as well as to be involved in our educational outreach work. 75 years on, Kelso Music Society, an important cultural entity in the Scottish Borders, continues the original aim of
'a society with the object of encouraging the appreciation of music...'
James Young President Kelso Music Society
These are the opening words of the minutes of the inaugural meeting of Kelso and District Music Society, the forerunner of Kelso Music Society. The first concert in October 1951 featured vocal and pianoforte solos as well as piano trio and string quartet extracts, given by local amateur musicians and the above named Mr Whitehead. In its early years it followed this pattern, also introducing lectures and films on music as well as including visits by other local societies such as Galashiels Clef Club and Selkirk and Hawick Music Societies. Gradually more professional musicians appeared in between the members' nights and distinguished performers, both Scotland based and international, found their way into the seasons, sometimes courtesy of Arts Council funding.
75 years later Kelso Music Society is pleased to present a season which continues this pattern of Scotland-based and international performers. The Kelso and District Music Society was perhaps more cautious in its choice of performers and repertoire, but it mirrored the views of its time. We are keen to focus on classical music but also to showcase cross-genre performances and sometimes less traditional groups.
Our first concert brings back Anna Michels with two friends to present an original evening centred round Borders Ballads. Later the same month we showcase opus13, the recent winners of the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition as part of their tour of the UK.
In November we are delighted to have the amazing young Ukranian pianist Khrystyna Mychailichenko who was sadly unable to play in a previous season. This is followed by an unique afternoon of music presented by a couple, Su-a Lee and Hamish Napier whose musical interests constantly cross borders.
In January we once more focus on our lovely piano in a widely ranging recital given by another talented musician, Adam Johnson. This is followed by an imaginative piece of programming, where Roderick Williams appears as both baritone and arranger of the lovely Schubert song cycle 'Die Schöne Müllerin' with the Carducci Quartet. This concert is being subsidised through the legacy of our much missed committee member, Anne Fingland..
We are always happy to present young emerging talent and our final concert features the Catil Wind Quintet, who are amongst the latest Tunnell Trust Award winners. They have agreed to squeeze us in between their other Scottish tours as well as to be involved in our educational outreach work. 75 years on, Kelso Music Society, an important cultural entity in the Scottish Borders, continues the original aim of
'a society with the object of encouraging the appreciation of music...'
James Young President Kelso Music Society