ONE of the consistent pleasures of musical life in Canberra is the high calibre of smaller groups that provide year-round quality recitals in churches and other more intimate spaces.

Among these, founded as the ACT Lieder Society in 1976, is Art Song Canberra, an organisation that focuses on the human voice.

With the pleasant-sounding title “Season of Song” for its annual program, Art Song will present seven recitals this year, all at 3pm on Sunday afternoons in Wesley Music Centre, Forrest.

While the organisation’s president, Oliver Raymond, is keen to let the public know about the low costs, the complimentary concert program and the refreshments that make Art Song’s afternoon so pleasurable, he also points out that they have “first-class artists of high standing both in Australia and abroad.”

True, but Art Song also provides a reputable outlet for some of Canberra’s leading singers.

The 2012 season is a who’s who of our best and brightest. On February 26, Canberra-trained baritone Jeremy Tatchell and pianist Elena Nikulina will start the season by performing Schubert’s song-cycle, “Winterreise” (“Winter Journey”).

On April 1, glamorous husband-and-wife couple, baritone Ben Connor and soprano Sonia Anfiloff will return from Vienna to perform “Hollywood’s Romantics” with their old ANU voice teacher, Alan Hicks, at the piano.

On June 3, young singers who have been studying with our top singing teachers, show off their achievements in “Lovers of Song”.

On July 1, soprano Rachael Duncan and Penelope Cashman, now based in Austria, will perform “Crossing the Pond – Songs from both sides of the Atlantic.”

Talking of Austria, on August 26, the German soprano Birgid Steinberger and former Sydney pianist Stephen Delaney arrive from Vienna to sing “Simply Schubert”.

Then on October 21, soprano Louise Page and pianist Phillipa Candy will be performing “Divine”, including songs by Schubert and Bernstein

The final recital will be “Ophelia and the Art (Song) of Madness”, performed on November 25 by central western NSW soprano Helen Barnett, with Sydney University’s David Miller at the piano.

Annual membership of Art Song costs $25. Inquiries to artsong@cyberone.com.au or call 6156 2604.