Pianist performs on grand Challen
TOAD Lane Concerts – Rochdale’s Weekly Music at Lunchtime – had its penultimate recital of 2017 on December 6, which was a solo piano performance.
The mature Challen grand piano resounded to Beethoven’s monumental Sonata in E minor op 90, Chopin’s great Fantaisie – Impromptu op 66, plus two of his Études, a Nocturne and two Polonaises.
This was fine piano, played on a big scale by Duncan Glenday, who first played at Rochdale’s Weekly Music at Lunchtime as a boy of 14, when it was housed at the old library and art gallery (now Touchstones).
Since completing his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Duncan has established himself as a significant musician in the UK.
He is in great demand as a recitalist and concerto soloist, an accompanist and chamber musician, with collaborations recently taking him to the International Lake District Summer Music Festival and the Isle of Wight Festival. He has also recorded for BBC Radio 2 and 3.
Duncan is currently a tutor of piano at Manchester University, Chetham’s School of Music and at the Junior RNCM.
He is also the artistic director and founder of the Uppermill Summer Music Festival.
The finale of 2017 was given on December 13 by Rochdale-born soprano Kay Jordan with her colleagues and pupils.
Kay is a Rochdale lass who went to Balderstone Community School and on to university to read science, only to discover a marvellous soprano voice and so thence to the RNCM and the Opera Studio, London, before an exhilarating singing career.
She was joined by her students – Ailsa and Sophie are at Wilmslow High School. Sara is a speech therapist in Cheshire and has performed as a concert soloist.
Melanie is a specialist district nurse and sings with the Maia Singers.
The group sang a varied programme of duets and solos, from oratorio and opera to popular repertoire, culminating, with audience participation, with Irving Berlin’s perennial White Christmas – complete with outside frost.
They were accompanied by pianist Tim Walker, who is in great demand by soloists and societies in the north west and whose day job is in IT.
Rochdale’s Music at Lunchtime concerts are held on Wednesdays, 12.30pm to 1.30pm, at St Mary’s in the Baum.
Admission costs £4 and refreshments are available from 11.30am. For more information, call 01706 6488724