Toad Lane Concerts: Tim Kennedy piano

Tim Kennedy

Tim Kennedy was due to accompany popular soprano Angela Rowley on Wednesday 16 August, but unfortunately, she had to postpone due to illness. It is a mark of Tim’s professionalism that he could produce a varied and captivating solo piano programme at eight o’clock the night before at such short notice.

Tim studied music at Cambridge before being 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, accompanies musicians at Manchester University and for auditions for the National Youth Choir. He is the rehearsal pianist to the Tatton Singers and Unlimited Voices and an official festival accompanist. This week he was also a knight in shining armour.

With informative and friendly introductions throughout, Two Arabesques by Debussy and descriptive pieces by Amy Beach soon charmed the audience. Then Melodie ‘Chant du Cygne Mourant’ by Ovenberg, and Room with a View by Yiruma were hugely expressive, conveyed with Tim’s admirable sense of timing and poise from years as a tenor singer. Would that more instrumentalists could phrase like good singers.

Bethena Waltz by Scott Joplin and Closest thing to Crazy by Katie Melua were delightful contrasts, and a fun choice finale was a rediscovered Polka from 1900, dedicated to the Bradford Football (Rugby) Club. Fancy that!

The vintage 1933 Challen grand piano was certainly put through its paces by Tim's performance.

The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Grade 1 listed St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ. Entrance fee is £6. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

To see details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson