About Us
Iffley Music Society presents professionally curated chamber music in an intimate Oxford setting, combining artistic ambition with accessibility and a strong sense of community.
Our Concerts
Iffley Music Society presents thoughtfully curated chamber music concerts in the beautiful setting of Iffley Village, Oxford. Since 1996, the Society has welcomed professional soloists and ensembles from across the UK and beyond, combining established artists with outstanding musicians at the beginning of their professional careers.
Our programmes bring together core classical repertoire with more exploratory and contemporary works, offering audiences both familiarity and discovery in an intimate setting. With accessible ticket prices and concerts followed by informal receptions, we aim to create not only high-quality musical experiences but also a strong sense of connection between performers and audience
Our venues
Our concerts take place in two distinctive Iffley Village locations: the 12th-century Church of St Mary the Virgin and the historic Iffley Church Hall beside it. The church itself is a Grade I listed building — one of England’s most complete and celebrated examples of Romanesque architecture — with intricately carved Norman doorways and richly detailed stonework that have survived for nearly 900 years.
This exceptional setting, with its architectural refinement and warm acoustics, provides an atmospheric backdrop to chamber music, allowing audiences to experience performances in a space that is both visually and sonically compelling. The adjacent Church Hall offers a complementary space which is equally well suited for concerts.
PATRONS, MEMBERS AND DONORS
Iffley Music Society is committed to presenting thoughtfully curated, professional chamber music at an accessible scale. As a registered charity (No. 1156304), we rely on the generosity of patrons, members and donors to sustain our concerts and to support both established performers and outstanding musicians at the start of their professional careers. Your support helps us maintain affordable ticket prices, engage professional artists of the highest calibre, and preserve the intimate, welcoming atmosphere that defines Iffley Music Society concerts.
If you would like to become a patron, join as a member, or make a donation, we would be delighted to hear from you via e-mail: iffley.music@gmail.com, completing a membership form, or speaking to us at one of our concerts.
Our History
Iffley Music Society was founded in 1996 by Canon Michael Bourdeaux with the aim of bringing high-quality chamber music to Iffley and the surrounding community. From its beginnings, the Society sought to combine artistic excellence with an intimate and welcoming atmosphere.
Over the years, Iffley Music Society has welcomed many distinguished soloists and ensembles, including artists such as Natalie Clein, the Castalian Quartet, the Piatti Quartet, the Duke Quartet and the Hohenloher Quartet, alongside a wide range of outstanding professional musicians from across the UK and beyond. Performances have spanned the core classical repertoire as well as contemporary works and premières.
While remaining rooted in its local setting, the Society has steadily developed a reputation for thoughtful programming and consistently high artistic standards. Today Iffley Music Society continues to build on this tradition, presenting professional chamber music at an accessible scale and fostering close connections between performers and audience
