 37 women came to the first meeting, held on 11 July 1911 at the Women’s Institute, 92 Victoria Street, including Rebecca Helferich Clarke and Liza Lehmann, who later became the group's first president.The first concert was held on 25 January, 1912 in the small room of Queen's Hall.Regular concerts followed at the same venue and at the Aeolian and Wigmore Halls.