Toad Lane Concerts: Eccles Community Choir

Eccles Community Choir

Toad Lane Concerts have consistently involved local choirs and vocal groups as part of its menu, St Mary in the Baum being an admirably suitable choral venue.

Eccles Community Choir, which has the motto, ‘Singing for pleasure and friendship’, was welcomed once again on Wednesday 6 April. Established in 2009 it is a mixed-ability, true community choir, which means it is open to all adults without audition and with low subscriptions. This does not mean settling for second best however, as it has performed in the UK and Germany, as well as in the Carnegie Hall, New York as part of a massed international choir, and at the Last Post at the Menin Gate, Ypres. Today, the wandering minstrels added Rochdale to their itinerary.

The musical director is a frequent soprano recitalist at Toad Lane Concerts, Angela Rowley, who is also an adjudicator at festivals around the country. Today’s intended choir soloist was one of the Covid casualties, so the musical director stepped in to sing the item. The choir states, ‘We enjoy singing in harmony under the guidance of our musical director Angela Rowley, ARCM. Every practice session is also a two-hour singing lesson!’

The items were superbly supported by accompanist, John Stott, who also arranged some of them.

Although the choir was much reduced by Covid absences, the programme was a delightful potpourri. Beginning with the unusual juxtaposition of Henry Purcell and Howard Goodall, we had harmonious arrangements of traditional and popular songs. Then Ivor Novello and Enya led to an American set consisting of numbers by Paul Simon, the Mamas and the Papas’ hit California Dreamin’, and a West Side Story medley, all topped off with a rousing finale of Sit down, you’re rockin’ the Boat.

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

To see the April & May 2022 programme, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson