Toad Lane Concert: More than Melody Ladies’ Choir

More than Melody Ladies' choir

In a week where community singing was highly recommended by the BMA as excellent for general wellbeing, here was a living example of just what the doctor ordered on Wednesday 5 July.

More than Melody is a group of ladies from Bury, Oldham and Rochdale formed in 2008 by Alyson Brailsford ‘to have fun and fellowship and provide a programme of musical entertainment’.

Their conductor, Jonathan Gibson graduated from the RNCM as a horn player and now freelances. He is also currently the musical director of Rochdale Phoenix Opera Society.

Accompanist Brian Milligan is a member of several vocal and opera groups and plays the cello. He read chemistry at Oxford University and is a chartered occupational hygienist.

They all clearly enjoyed ‘fun and fellowship’ delivering their full and varied ‘programme of musical entertainment.’ Their whistle-stop world tour began with early English song and folk pieces then to Africa, the Caribbean and Italy. Even to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) where Schönberg’s hit musical transposed Madama Butterfly’s Japan to Miss Saigon’s Vietnam war.

From full choir in parts to solo with choral backing, and solo with piano from mezzo Jennifer Workman, their enthusiasm was relentless and undaunted.

For their finale, they had to change to daytime in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s It's a grand night for singing but undoubtedly kept its spirit. The audience certainly left humming their own favourite song feeling thoroughly entertained.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed church of 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 details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson