Montreal’s Ladies’ Morning Musical Club (LMMC) is entering its 134th season, and this volunteer-led committee continues to offer Montrealers access to the world’s finest chamber music. Generations of artists have graced its stage; for musicians, an LMMC appearance is an honour. For audiences, it’s Sunday afternoon delight, now for its second season at Oscar Peterson Hall on Concordia’s west end Loyola campus, while its usual venue, McGill’s Pollack Hall is being renovated.
This year’s lineup blends legends, fresh voices, and programs designed to surprise as much as satisfy. Here are the LMMC’s five fall offerings.
September 7: Alban Gerhardt & Steven Osborne
The opening concert belongs to German cellist Alban Gerhardt for his seventh appearance at the LMMC. His sound combines burnished warmth with fearless intensity on a 1710 Matteo Gofriller cello. Partnering him is Scottish pianist Steven Osborne, a Hyperion artist with three dozen recordings to his name. Expect a performance where every phrase feels lived, not just played.
September 28: Isidore String Quartet
From Juilliard roots to international acclaim, the Isidore String Quartet has carved a reputation for daring vitality. They took top prize at the 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition and snagged an Avery Fisher Career Grant soon after. Their name honours both Juilliard legend Isidore Cohen and, cheekily, the monk credited with inventing vodka. This is their LMMC debut.
October 19: Verona Quartet with Henry Kramer
The Verona Quartet doesn’t just interpret the classics — they reinvent the listening experience. Winners of competitions from Osaka to Wigmore Hall, they’ve built a reputation for fearless programming and bold sound. Their Billboard-topping album Shatter was written entirely for them, proof of their standing as muses for today’s composers. Pianist Henry Kramer joins for Schumann’s epic Piano Quintet; his touch blends brilliance with poetic restraint. This is their LMMC debut.
November 9: Lukas Geniušas
Pianist Lukas Geniušas returns for his second LMMC recital. A silver medalist at both the Chopin and Tchaikovsky Competitions, he is as comfortable with Beethoven as with Bartók, unafraid of risk or revelation. Critics hail his playing as “bewitching,” and his Montreal recital will likely deliver just that — a tightrope walk between control and abandon.
November 30: Kerson Leong & Gilles Vonsattel
LMMC closes the fall with the return of one of Canada’s brightest stars. Violinist Kerson Leong has an instantly identifiable sound — rich, mercurial, impossible to mistake. Handpicked by Yannick Nézet-Séguin as 2018-2019 artist-in-residence with the Orchestre Métropolitain, Leong continues to draw comparisons to the greats. He teams with Swiss-American pianist Gilles Vonsattel, a prizewinning soloist known for his versatility and daring repertoire choices. Together they promise sparks.
Winter/Spring 2026
The winter and spring half of the season brings the Dover Quartet (Feb. 8), pianist Steven Osborne (March 1), Trio Bohémo (March 22), McGill – Chien – Elliott Trio (April 12), and the Jerusalem Quartet (May 3).
Tickets
All concerts begin at 3:30 p.m. Sundays at Oscar Peterson Hall. Subscriptions to all 10 concerts: $350 ($100 for students). Single tickets: $60 ($25 students). More info at www.lmmc.ca
