End of the line for Chichester Music Society

With membership numbers substantially down they are moving away from the format which saw them book performers and present concerts across an annual season. Instead, developing a bond of friendship they have long had with the University of Chichester, they will be switching to sponsoring two or three concerts a year within the university’s own concert programme. For more than 20 years, Chichester Music Society, operated as the Funtington Music Group, a name which reflected its origins. It moved to the University of Chichester some years ago and after much discussion changed its name to CMS better to reflect the way it operated. Sadly the name change coincided with the pandemic and the lockdowns, and it has been a struggle ever since. Chairman Chris Hough said: “Since the Covid situation we have had a very low membership. We used to be about 100 members and we're now down to a lot less, maybe 30 or 40 which is really not a viable number for putting on and promoting the kinds of events we like to do. We need 60 to 80 members to cover ourselves. We have done the last couple of seasons but really we do think that we have now reached the end of the road in terms of offering a comprehensive programme.” Discussions have been on-going with the university over the past 12 months to find a way forward for the society. Chris can now confirm what is going to happen: “Commencing in 2024, the society will fund and sponsor two or three events each year through the medium of lecture recitals, concerts and workshops by professional musicians. The committee is currently considering sponsoring three events for the 2024 season including a workshop/masterclass and concert to be given by a professional string quartet. These events will be promoted and run within the University’s Showcase Programme, with tickets available via the (CMS) TicketSource platform, as currently.” Society-sponsored events will continue to take place at the University, making use of the University’s Chapel and support staff as presently. Chris as chairman and most of the current committee will continue to run the society under these new arrangements, at least until the end of this year: “The committee will continue to administer the established bursary scheme for students at the university. "There is the potential to build on these arrangements and develop other offerings within the university’s annual Showcase programme.” Chris added: “I do think when you look around at other organisations that audience members are thinner than they used to be. People have not really come back since Covid. I think for us Covid brought matters to a head. We're all getting older and we aren't reaching younger people. Older people are drifting away and we are just not renewing. I think that's the way with a lot of societies and then of course you've also got austerity and the cost of living crisis which make it more difficult. Really it is the perfect storm. “And we're just not getting younger people to come forward that want to work on the committee. "We have tried over the last couple of years to bring in new people but we have not really succeeded in that.”