Toad Lane Concerts: Angela Rowley (soprano) and Tim Kennedy (piano)

Angela Rowley (soprano) and Tim Kennedy (piano) performed at St Mary in the Baum on Wednesday 8 December

After braving Storm Barra, music at lunchtime audiences were rewarded with an ‘unashamedly romantic’ recital from two experienced performers at St Mary in the Baum on Wednesday 8 December.

Soprano Angela Rowley is a graduate in German and, following a career in teaching, began solo singing and holds the ARCM diploma. She has performed as a soloist in concert and oratorio extensively. She also conducts Eccles Community Choir and was the inaugural coordinator and MD of the massed choir, Harmony ’96.

Alongside a private practice Angela runs workshops and masterclasses and in 2019 was a finalist in the Musicians’ Union and Classic FM ‘Inspirational teacher of the Year’ awards. She is a fellow of the Incorporated Society of Musicians and a festival adjudicator.

Tim Kennedy studied music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and is now based in Manchester as a piano accompanist, professional singer, vocal coach, and organist. He is a staff repetiteur at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), accompanies musicians at Manchester University and for auditions for the National Youth Choir. He is the rehearsal pianist for the Tatton Singers and Unlimited Voices, and works regularly as an official festival accompanist.

Tim also contributed an attractive solo piece as an interlude, the curiously named ‘Friday a.m.’ - an evocative work built on Mahler and jazz idioms by Edward Gregson, the eminent English composer and former principal of the RNCM.

Their programme consisted of a mix of classical songs and arias by Quilter, Gilchrist, Mozart, J S Bach, Foster and Warlock, including the rarely heard magical Cloths of Heaven by Thomas Dunhill.

They also gave the premier of ‘How do I love thee?’ by Adnan Bayyat, who was in attendance and clearly approved of the performance.

Finally, a visit to the world of musical theatre in memory of the late Stephen Sondheim with his ‘Everything’s comin’ up Roses’, plus Wright & Forrest’s ‘This is my Beloved’ and Kern’s ‘Can’t help lovin’ dat Man’.

After so many months of silenced voices it was good to hear such fine singing from Angela, supported by a sensitive and expressive accompanist.

The award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. No refreshments available at the moment, but the venue is Covid-19 compliant. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

Dr Joe Dawson