A Brief History of the Hudson Chamber Music Series

The Hudson Chamber Music Series originated back in the early 1980s in response to the proposal that the Strawberry Festival at St James Church should feature some musical entertainment. Mark Drake remembers that “hand bell ringers from the USA and a horn quintet from Kingston” were brought in. The idea proved very popular, though it was suggested that it would be more appropriate (“and we might get better musicians!”) if the Hudson Music Club took it over. Accordingly, local resident Patricia Harley, in affiliation with the Hudson Music Club, invited McGill University graduate students of music to perform in local homes. When illness forced Patricia Harley to retire, Patricia Kerridge (leading a group of volunteers) took over the series in 1986 and developed it into a successful series of public concerts, set in St. James Church Hall.


MC Mark Drake welcomes a full house
Patricia Kerridge had been actively involved in the music community for many years and taught at McGill University Faculty of Music (among other places) at which she established a network of invaluable contacts. Raymond Kerridge (Pat’s husband) first became involved in Hudson Music Club activities in the late 1980s when he organized the publicity for one of their annual musical theatre productions. His involvement with the Hudson Chamber Music Series began between 1990 and 1993, and he gradually took on responsibilities such as organizing the publicity, finances, poster distribution and hall setup as the popularity of the series grew. He also became the Master of Ceremonies at each performance, introducing the performers in his inimitable style.

In 2005, the Kerridges retired to Victoria, B.C., and the Executive Volunteer Committee took over the organization and running of the series, initially led by Julie Schroeder. Ray Kerridge passed away suddenly in 2007 and the 25th Anniversary Series of 2007-2008 was dedicated to his memory.

The Executive Volunteer Committee continues to be actively engaged in planning future concerts and developing new contacts with internationally acclaimed musicians to interest them in performing in Hudson. The series has come a long way since it began, and with your interest and support, will continue to thrive.