Chamber Music Weymouth (formerly Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts) has received the Arts award from Weymouth Civic Society in recognition of the contribution the concert series makes to the cultural life of Weymouth and Portland. The award was presented at a special event at Nothe Fort in Weymouth, attended by the Mayors of Weymouth and Portland, and by members of the civic society and other award winners (find full details here.
Founded in 2002 by concert pianist, pedagogue and Weymouth resident Duncan Honeybourne, the series presents monthly lunchtime concerts in the attractive, historic church of St Mary’s in the heart of Weymouth. Over the years, the series has attracted leading musicians, including pianists Margaret Fingerhut, Joseph Tong, piano duo John Humphreys and Allan Schiller, Penelope Roskell, James Lisney, and most recently Graham Caskie (who gave a spellbinding performance of the Bach-Busoni Chaconne at the June concert); cellist Joseph Spooner; violinist Catrin Win Morgan; and bass-baritone Timothy Dickinson. In keeping with the series’ mission to support and nurture young talent, recent seasons have seen performances by the Woolf String Quartet, pianists Lewis Kingsley Peart, Nina Savicevic, and Siqian Li, violinists Leora Cohen and Rose Gosney, and cellist Hoda Jahanpour. During the 25/26 season in addition to a wide variety of chamber music, the series also presented a special concert exploring the music Jane Austen would have known and played, performed by soprano Penelope Appleyard and pianist Jonathan Delbridge (playing an Austen-era square piano) to coincide with the author’s bicentenary in 2025.
The Weymouth Civic Society award comes at a significant moment as the series celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2027. This is also the bicentenary of the birth of Beethoven and the centenary of the birth of composer John Joubert, whom Duncan Honeybourne knew. These anniversaries will be reflected in the programming for the series.
Despite the challenge of Covid and the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, the series goes from strength to strength, enjoying record audiences, who praise the series for its variety of repertoire and artists, and for the low ticket price. Another important aspect to the series’ popularity is the pre-concert refreshments, served by a duo of loyal volunteers. Alongside this, both Duncan Honeybourne and concerts manager Frances Wilson (AKA The Cross-Eyed Pianist) strive to ensure the concerts are friendly and welcoming, while presenting world-class classical music in the heart of Weymouth.
The 2026/27 25th Anniversary season of Chamber Music Weymouth begins on Wednesday 23rd September, with a solo performance by Duncan Honeybourne.
The Cross-Eyed Pianist 