About The Alkan Society

The Alkan Society was founded in 1977 by the late John White and others. It aims to stimulate interest in the life and work of the French-Jewish composer and pianist, Charles-Valentin Alkan (1813-1888).

The Society has members in both the UK and abroad, including in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. We work closely with the Société Alkan in France, which was founded in 1986, as well as sometimes holding joint meetings with the Chopin and Liszt Societies. The B'nai B'rith Festival of Jewish Culture has also organised Alkan-based events. Several important musicians have contributed to meetings, including the late  Ronald Smith (for many years the Society's President), Leslie Howard, Thomas Wakefield, Hamish Milne, Stephanie McCallum and Jack Gibbons, the organists Nicholas King and Bridget Marshall, and scholars including Richard Shaw, Hugh MacDonald (the author of the Alkan article in the last two editions of the "New Grove"), Harold Truscott, Ruth Jordan, Janet Ritterman and Alexander Knapp.

We publish a regular Bulletin containing articles from members and guest contributors, reprints of significant papers, concert, broadcast and record reviews, previews of events and Alkan news from around the world, . There is also a discography of all known recordings (now available on this website), and an AIkan Society Library of scores, recordings, books and theses, held in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

The Alkan Society is an official Registered Charity in the UK (no. 276199).

Members have access to our members-only internet pages which contain archive and other information, as well our web  forum; all members receive our bulletins and can attend all our meetings and events. We also hope to be able to make special discounts and offers available to members in the near future. To receive more information fill in the form on our 'Join Us!' page or e-mail us.