Toad Lane Concerts: Tim Kennedy tenor Joanna Garcia piano

Tim Kennedy tenor Joanna Garcia piano

Tim Kennedy began his musical career singing for Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, as a treble at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, before becoming a music scholar at Winchester College and then organ scholar at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

He has now been based in Manchester for more than fifteen years pursuing a multi-faceted career not only as a tenor soloist but also a talented pianist (including being a staff accompanist at the Royal Northern College of Music), and organist. It was his gifts as a tenor that the audience enjoyed on Wednesday 21 August.

Joanna Garcia gained a First-Class Honours degree from Manchester University, followed by postgraduate diplomas from the Royal Northern College of Music, plus prizes for outstanding achievement. She subsequently became a staff accompanist at these institutions and at Chetham’s and remains a freelance staff pianist at the Royal Northern College of Music. Meantime she also had a successful career in school teaching. Joanna proved to be a strong joint-interpreter and sensitive and sympathetic concert partner.

The opening song, When lovers meet again, showed the romantic side of C. Hubert Parry (who was best known for writing ‘Jerusalem’) The romantic theme continued with two arias from the Baroque composer Antonio Caldara.

In a charming Irish interlude, we had two different settings of WB Yeat’s poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree by Richard Farrelly and Muriel Herbert. These were separated by Danny Boy by Fred Weatherly, sung a cappella most effectively.

We enjoyed impeccable German in lieder by Schubert and Schumann and French with Lydia and Les Berceaux by Fauré. Also, in more popular idiom The sunshine of your smile by Lilian Ray, Fly home, little heart by Ivor Novello and She by Charles Aznavour.

These two accomplished musicians raised these popular 20th century songs to the fine compositions that they truly are.

Tim’s soaring lyrical tenor voice resounded beautifully in the acoustic at St Mary in the Baum throughout the varied styles and periods, supported superbly by Joanna.

The Queen’s 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. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

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

Dr Joe Dawson