Popular Chamber music combo the Jigsaw Players get the ball rolling on their 2008/9 season with an Opening Gala Concert at their regular venue, Christ Church, West Wimbledon on Saturday.

A group of nine talented musicians that specialise in performances using violin, viola and cello, the Players prepare a carefully selected set that best serves the chosen few.

And for the Opening Gala this includes work by Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms.

The Beethoven choice is String Serenade Opus 8, the Mozart selection is the String Quintet in C Major KV 515 whilst the Brahms masterclass is String Sextet in Bb Major Opus 18.

Leading the charge will be stalwarts Cerys Jones and Jonathan Stone on violin, Nicholas Bootiman and Emmanuella Reiter on viola with Rosalind Acton and Oliver Coates on cello.

Classical Welsh violinist Jones is a veteran of the Royal Academy of Music, and has been awarded the prestigious Solti Foundation and Hattori Foundation awards.

Stone is an in-demand performer having played with the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Mozart Players amongst others, and was also at the Royal Academy of Music.

Munich-born Bootiman has just finished a stint as composer-in-residence at the Festival du Lazarc in France, another string to a bow that has seen spells in the USA and across Europe.

Fellow viola player Reiter began her classical music career aged just three, before moving on to study in both France and the USA.

A veteran of the concert circuit, she is also a regular with the London Philarmonic Orchestra.

On cello will be Acton and Coates, who both have impressive distinctions of their own.

Acton is a driving force behind ensemble Parapar, expected to release their debut CD in early 2009, whereas Coates can boast the highest degree score in the history of the Royal Academy of Music.

The Players will be hosting one concert a month through to July 2009, and will continue with their aims of sourcing a piano for the Church, and also to maintain their pledge for a series of Children’s Concerts and an amateur weekend, where you will get the opportunity to perform with the group.

Opening Gala Concert, Saturday September 20, 7.30pm, £10/£12, visit www.jigsawplayers.com for further details