Toad Lane Concerts, Rochdale
4th September 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 1,201 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 9th September 2026 – Anne Butterworth soprano, Stephen Taylor baritone Elaine Marsden piano

Here are the next events to whet your appetite.

- Sep 16 – Jonathan Ellis piano (Manchester University & RNCM)
- Sep 23 – Sara Donnelly soprano (Queensland & RNCM) & Tim Kennedy piano (Cambridge Univ & RNCM staff)
- Sept 30 – Students from Chetham’s School of Music
- Oct 07 – Seren String Quartet
- Oct 14 – Oldham Community Choir conductor Jonathan Gibson & piano Edward Rigg
- Oct 21 – Lewis Kingsley Peart piano (Trinity Laban Conservatoire)
- Oct 28 – John Powell baritone (Cambridge Univ & BBC Singers) & Carol Kwater piano

Previous Performance Reviews.

Wednesday 2 September 2026 – Callum Bisson piano (Chetham’s & RNCM)

Callum Bisson is a 20-year-old pianist and composer from Rochdale. This was his third appearance at the Toad Lane Concerts as a rising star pianist-composer. He first played here in a Toad Lane Concert Party in July 2024 on finishing sixth form at Chetham’s and about to start at the RNCM. His playing of Rachmaninoff then showed much promise. It is always an immense pleasure to report on the progress of talented young musicians, particularly with such emerging and burgeoning potential.

At Chetham’s, Callum’s original works premiered in composers’ concerts, including his Piano Concerto in G minor. He also won the Elgar Competition for Young Composers (2024), was a finalist in Chetham’s Annual Piano Competition, and received multiple commendations in performance competitions.

At the RNCM, Callum continued his joint focus in piano and composition with Professors Graham Scott and Adam Gorb, so that last year’s TLC appearance resounded with a commendable programme of JS Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninoff plus the world premiere of his own ‘Variations on a Theme by Shostakovich’, which was delightfully inventive and fashioned with mature pianism. He has achieved many accolades, such as becoming a semi-finalist in this year’s European Piano Teachers’ Association Competition in Leeds, being a finalist in the Mark Ray Recital Prize earlier this year, and awarded the 2026-27 Peter Donohoe Prize, which is given to piano students who have excelled in their studies.

Callum is currently embarking on a composition project, ‘emotional prism’ for solo piano, ‘where each piece is in the mask of 24 preludes and presents a strong emotional journey’. This augurs well for the challenging world of the pianist-composer.

Today’s recital was confidently performed completely from memory. Mozart’s Gigue in G and Beethoven’s Sonata op 31 no 2 , ‘The Tempest’ were masterfully played with the Challen 8’ Grand piano explored in all its variety of tone; you can always tell a class player when they are not afraid to play softly when required!

Chopin’s Nocturne op 48 no 2 in F Sharp Minor was movingly conveyed with both delicate and strong melodic lines contrasting with more profound harmonic moments; he demonstrated his control by making us wait for the final cadence to resolve and fade.

Callum’s own composition ‘Shadow Rise (Based on a portrait by Steve Roston)’ showed increasing maturity in writing descriptively and it melded seamlessly with Medtner’s Canzona Martinata and Sonata Tragica. Callum extracted every ounce of passion in his expressive interpretation.

The audience demanded an encore and were treated to a clean and refreshing performance of JS Bach’s first prelude from book 1 of the ‘48’. Usually garnished by Gounod’s Ave Maria on top, it was a delight to hear its pure simplicity impeccably played – another sure sign of a fine player.

We look forward to the continued progress of this talented young musician. Rochdale’s own!

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