Summer Music is a festival of high-quality chamber music concerts in relaxing, rural locations. It aims to open hearts and minds to the incomparable experience of live music-making in surroundings which enhance the listener's appreciation and enjoyment.

The festival was established by Music-Makers in the Scottish Borders between 1995 and 2005, firstly at Ayton Castle and then at Paxton House. Featuring some of Britain's outstanding chamber musicians, its reputation rapidly grew under the direction of Gusztáv Fenyő and Susanne Stanzeleit to become Scotland's leading chamber music festival.

Summer Music's imaginative programme has ranged from a celebration in 2000 of J S Bach and his influence, through the mainstream repertoire to twentieth-century masters, such as Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Messiaen and Kurtág, and the commissioning of a new work by Paul Keenan.

In 2008 we were delighted to present a pilot festival at Haddo House in Aberdeenshire, while continuing our association with Paxton House in the Borders: Summer Music 2008 combined, thus, an extended weekend of events on a similar theme at both venues, providing an opportunity for audiences to sample the distinctive flavour of each location.

Paxton House 2010

We return to Paxton House from 4th to 6th June 2010 with a programme focusing on Viennese Masters.

Plans for Haddo House are on hold while the National Trust for Scotland, the curators of the property, formulate their own plans concerning refurbishment of the main hall and piano. The Haddo Foundation has recently been set up to ensure that Haddo's long tradition of live music continues. We look forward to participating in this new development.

To ensure you are kept up-to-date with event planning for both venues, simply e-mail to receive our free quarterly e-newsletter.