Toad Lane Concerts, Rochdale
20th March 2026

Midweek Musical Delight at St Mary in the Baum!

Every Wednesday at 12:30pm, enjoy the Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts at the stunning Grade I listed St Mary in the Baum church, Toad Lane, Rochdale, OL16 1DZ.

Admission is just £6. As a “not for profit” initiative, your entry fee and donations directly support talented musicians, the historic venue, and music resources.

For details, contact Dr. Joe Dawson: 01706 648872.

Note: There have been 1,178 concerts since taking over the council’s Music at Lunchtime in 2001. Justifying continuity in Rochdale’s year as the Greater Manchester Town of Culture.

Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm – 1.30pm.

Wednesday 25th March 2026 – Louise Taylor soprano & Jill Taylor mezzo (duets) with Jonathan Ellis piano (Manchester University & RNCM)

Here are the next events to whet your appetite.

- Mar 25 – Louise Taylor soprano & Jill Taylor mezzo (duets) with Jonathan Ellis piano (Manchester University & RNCM)

Previous Performance Reviews.

Wednesday 18th March 2026 -Music from Tonacliffe Primary School. Directed by Freda Farnworth (Guildhall School of Music, London)

Spring has sprung – children’s voices, brass, recorders and solo guitar

The 1,178^th lunchtime recital since taking over from the council in 2001 featured 55 children from Tonacliffe Primary School in an hour of music-making in their 4^th annual visit.

Few things are more joyous and signify spring than youngsters singing and playing.

Headmistress Mrs J Heap stated, ‘’we believe that every child should have the chance to experience music in its many forms’ and clearly, she has helped to bring that about. A key person in facilitating this was Freda Farnworth, well-known soprano, pianist, director and teacher, who works with them each week.

Freda accompanied at the piano whilst Mrs Heap conducted the choir in Calypso, a bright and joyous number that they use regularly as a warmup, as well as polished in parts today. Do Re Mi by Rodgers and Hammerstein, One Day by Sue Stevens and Singing in the Rain by Herb Brown were all sung with great enthusiasm and relish. It was great to hear youngsters singing in parts.

The embryonic Brass Group added a brief attractive fanfare before more charming choir songs, Si-Si-Si (Congolese traditional), Hushabye Mountain and Blackpool by Chris Hazell.

The Recorder Club dashed off Old MacDonald, Oranges and Lemons, Hush Little Baby, Skye Boat Song, Kumbaya, and Tango in record time. The mixed year groups all contributed, the older ones bringing on the newbies. As Freda mentioned, ‘you just get them going and then they leave’. So, there is a constant state of flux as the youngsters’ progress through.

We were also treated to a superb guitar solo by Harry Slattery, who played a Turkish March with great confidence, unphased by the large space. He and everyone else must have been thrilled to hear the music they made soar through the acoustics at St Mary’s. Harry is one to look out for.

Freda almost apologised for filling the programme time with Christmas leftovers. But we all appreciated the well-rehearsed numbers and understood that leftovers can often taste even better when reheated! Come on Christmas and Miracle Child by Ruth Kenward, All Over the Hills by Gavin Reid and Five Little Angels by Adrian Pearson were delicious and worthy of second helpings.

With thanks to Dr. Joe Dawson for permission to publish his article.

Wednesday 11th March 2026 -Rochdale Phoenix Opera Company

The 1,177^th lunchtime recital since taking over from the council in 2001 featured Rochdale’s own Phoenix Opera Company. Established in 1977 with the merger of Kirkholt G&S Society and Rochdale Intimate Opera Group it represents the borough’s rich tradition of amateur operatic and dramatic performance.

But first, for starters we had a set of solo songs, all sensitively accompanied by Elaine Marsden: ‘Fair Robin I Love’ delivered with panache by Anne Butteworth, an enthusiastic ‘Someday’ (Hunchback of Notre Dame) from Jane Reynolds, two poignant tenor solos by Quilter and Munro from Gerard Marsden, and ‘The Hours creep on a pace’ (HMS Pinafore) with appropriate dramatic fervour by Susan Fletcher.

Then it was ‘on with the motley’, as the assembled company delivered extracts from ‘The Gondoliers’.

There were outstanding individual performances and a hearty chorus, all of which was under the capable baton of Jonathan Gibson with excellent accompaniment from the second guest accompanist, Isobel Richie-Ingham.

A concert performance can often miss the dramatic effect of costumes and sets of the stage, but the excitement of the theatre was not lost and the superb acoustics of St Mary in the Baum helped make up for any disadvantages.

Andrew Sutcliffe & Chorus set the mood and Stella Whitehouse, Lynn Lee, Lawrence Shoebridge, Barrie Brailsford, Steven Miller developed the plot. Then in ‘Bridegroom and Bride’ the Chorus came into their own, and in complementing Julie Sutcliffe in the familiar ‘When a merry maiden marries’ brought the opera to life. Varied solo voices helped the realism in the Finale of Act 2, with Stella Whitehouse, Susan Fletcher, Julie Sutcliffe, Penny Lydiate, Abigail Rhodes, Brent Andrews, Barrie Brailsford, Steven Miller.

Then, extracts from ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ anticipated their 2027 repertoire, the company further aided by Stella Whitehouse, David Edwards and Gerard Marsden and others.

The show was narrated and directed by Jonathan Gibson who has does a great job developing his team’s ensemble work.

Next show: ‘The Gondoliers’ at St Aidan’s Church, Manchester Road, Sudden, OL11 3EL, Wednesday 15 April to 17 April 2026, Saturday 18 April 2026 2.30 pm.

On a sad note, an honorary Life Member, one of the early stalwarts of the groups from even before their merger, Irene Purdy, passed away on 2^nd March at the age of 104. Pianist, teacher, deputy head, drama critic, JP, and a lovely person, she will be sadly missed.

With thanks to Dr. Joe Dawson for permission to publish his article.

Wednesday 4th March 2026 – Students from Chetham’s School of Music

Spring was in the air with burgeoning talent from youngsters from Chets.

The 1,176^th recital since taking over from the council in 2001 featured youngsters from Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, the UK’s largest specialist music school. Established in 1969, it offers a co-educational boarding and day school experience for students aged 8 to 18. Renowned for its rigorous musical training, all students enter through musical auditions. The school fosters a vibrant and supportive community, attracting students from around the world.

They were expertly accompanied by award winning pianist Staff Member Gemma Webster who was educated at The Purcell School, RCM, University of York, RNCM and Sibelius Academy (Helsinki). She has performed throughout the UK and overseas as soloist, accompanist and chamber musician as well as holding key piano teaching positions. In 2019 she joined the full-time staff at Chetham’s. Gemma’s compositions have received awards and have been performed on BBC radio & TV.

She proved to be an excellent accompanist and friendly mentor, encouraging and leading her charges by example.

Spring was definitely in the air as sunshine streamed in through the immense windows of St Mary in the Baum – necessitating sunglasses for some. But the youthful promise projected by these exceptional musicians was even more dazzling.

Singer Violet (16) sang a range of styles: Baroque Handel Va godendo, C19 French Pauline Viardot Les deux roses and C20 musical Lloyd-Webber’s Wishing you were somehow here again, all with a pleasing clear tone and engaging manner.

Erin (17) with her enthusiastic viola playing of the prelude from J S Bach’s unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 4, followed by the first movement of Hoffmeister’s Viola Concerto demonstrated that the often-unsung viola deserves its day in the sun.

Violet was joined by Miriam (15) for two of Mendelssohn’s Lieder Duets op. 63, in beautifully balanced part singing.

For cellist Will (18), Sally Beamish’s contemporary evocative unaccompanied piece Gala Water, was all the more poignant because it stemmed from his background, the Borders. The Brahms Sonata in F op. 99 showed similar immense control, power and musicianship beyond his years.

A fantastic lunchtime concert, doing Chetham’s proud and giving enormous pleasure through its gifted students … and staff.

With thanks to Dr. Joe Dawson for permission to publish his article.