When we reported on St Luke’s Music Society’s new season a few weeks ago we mentioned opera singer Willard White and violinist Nicola Benedetti as potential highlights.

Well that mantle may well have been snatched from them by eminent broadcaster Nicholas Parsons, who visits Clapham on December 13 to present the life and work of the great poet and painter Edward Lear. The Just A Minute presenter is a huge fan of Lear’s work and one can just imagine his fruity diction will be perfect for bringing his celebrated nonsense verse to life.

More announcements have been made: the opening meeting of thte 2008/9 season is Let Handel Sing!, a gala evening of arias from operas and oratorios by Handel, sung by London International Competition Winners Erica Erloff (soprano) and Nathan Vale (tenor).

Also coming up (albeit in March next year) will be the Festival Chorus conducted by David Fawcett, presenting a programme of music by Haydn and Mozart to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of Joseph Haydn. Before that in November, the Festival Chorus will be visiting to present three Ralph Vaughan Williams works to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death.

Don’t forget in addition to all this, the Yehudi Menuhin School Orchestra visit next May and Sharon Bezaly, the outstanding young flautist, joins chamber group London Baroque in January for an evening of concertos by Bach and Vivaldi.

St Luke’s Music Society new season, starts Saturday, October 18, 7.30pm, St Luke’s church, Thurleigh Road, SW12 8RQ, call the box office on 020 8673 9285 or visit slms.org.uk