Feast of musical talent on offer at lunchtime
ON Wednesday, July 5, began another actionpacked month of weekly Music at Lunchtime concerts at St Mary’s in the Baum.
Regular visiting professionals, soprano Margaret Ferguson and pianist Jonathan Ellis, demonstrated their versatility with Rodgers and Hammerstein and Novello, followed by secular and sacred oratorio by Orff and Bizet respectively, then a diverse English repertoire from Thomas Arne and Andrew Lloyd Webber, opera from Vivaldi and Mozart and Scottish songs from Burns and Moffat.
July 12 brought an Au Revoir recital from 18-year-old Joel Thetford, who has sung at St Mary’s since he was 11, appearing regularly in the monthly Academy Concerts and occasional Concert Parties.
Rochdalian Joel attended St Vincent’s RC Primary and St Cuthbert’s RC High and has just completed A-levels at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.
Joel achieved Distinction at Grade 8 from The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) last year. Additionally, as an active member of the Halle Youth Choir since Year 9, Joel has appeared in the BBC Proms twice.
Joel’s other interests include orienteering and underwater hockey. Hopefully, he is going to university to study chemical engineering in September.
He performed the demanding Songs of Travel song cycle by Vaughan Williams and songs from the musicals, all from memory and with aplomb and accomplishment beyond his years.
July 19 featured two former students of York University.
Aberdonian Catherine Strachan had previously studied the cello at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is now a freelance cellist who also teaches strings in York and Leeds.
She was accompanied by pianist David Hammond, who is also a folk musician.
They performed Magyar dances by English cellist William Squire, a Spanish serenade from Russian Glazunov, Romanian dances from Hungarian Bartok, Irish tunes by British Howard Ferguson, an Italian caprice by French Poulenc and Swiss souvenirs by the 19th century Belgian, Servais.
On July 26, a talented trio from the Royal Northern College of Music performed.
Essex-based soprano Jessica Hope and postgraduate baritone Oliver Gildea sang a varied programme of Mozart, Massenet, Bellini and Jonathan Dove and songs by Britten, Gurney, Poulenc, and Faure.
They were supported by Hong Kong postgraduate pianist Hector Leung.
The Music at Lunchtime concerts are held every Wednesday from 12.30pm to 1.30pm at St Mary’s in the Baum. Admission costs £4 and refreshments available from 11.30am.