DARLINGTON Music Society presents cellist Ariana Kashefi and pianist Timothy End at the town's central hall on Sunday, December 7 at 7.30pm.

This third concert of the season features a cellist who is making an excellent name for herself on the concert circuit with her accompanist. Their programme offers an interesting variety of styles from Paganini through Beethoven to Rachmaninov and Janacek.

Kashefi has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in most major venues around London, including the Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall. Born in 1991, she studied at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music with Robert Max and later went on to gain her Bachelors at the Royal College of Music with Melissa Phelps as an Amarylis scholar. Kashefi graduated in 2013 with first class Honours. Selected for the LSO string experience scheme, she is also the winner of the 2013 Making Music Awards for young Concert Artists and is the recipient of the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society’s Julius Isserlis Scholarship.

Earlier this year ,Timothy End was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied having completed his undergraduate studies at King’s College London. A multiple first prize winner, End was awarded both the Pianist Prize and Jean Meikle Duo Prize with the baritone Jonathan McGovern at the Wigmore Hall Song Competition.

Past engagements have taken him to Washington, New York, Singapore and most recently to the Mozart Konzerthaus in Vienna.

Tickets: Adult £11. The Cavatina Chamber Music Trust sponsors free tickets for eight to 25-year-olds at this concert. Please fill in the Cavatina form on arrival (with the name of your school or student ID) Box Office: 01325-486555

Meanwhile, at Helmsley Arts Centre ‘Jazz on a Christmas Evening with Peter Gill & Friends’ is for fans of cool jazz and blues interlaced with some festive witty banter.

Popular boogie woogie/jazz pianist and vocalist Gill is well known as the Musical Director for British entertainment legend Anita Harris, who is incidentally performing just up the road in York Theatre Royal’s lavish Christmas pantomime, Cinderella.

Gill is perhaps better known for his Great Balls of Fire, Chantilly Lace and Shaking All Over. His sensational portrayal of the first wild man of rock’n roll, The Killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis, has received critical acclaim in the stage shows The Jerry Lee Lewis Story and Rock’n Roll Paradise.

Joining Gill on stage at Helmsley Arts Centre will be nationally acclaimed performers Kim Cypher - saxophones, Wayne Elliott - bass, Michael Croshaw - guitar and Mike Cypher - drums. Along with his swing band friends Gill and surprise guests will perform an eclectic mix of Christmas jazz with fireside-favourites like White Christmas, Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, Baby It's Cold Outside, Winter Wonderland and Mr Bojangles.

Peter Gill and Friends will be performing at Helmsley Arts Centre on Saturday November 29. Box Office: 01439-771700 helmsleyarts.co.uk