Toad Lane Concerts: More than Melody Ladies Choir

More Than Melody Ladies Choir performed at St Mary in the Baum Church, Toad Lane, on Wednesday 15 December

The melodic harmony of 16 female voices filled the fabulous acoustic of St Mary in the Baum with seasonal cheer on Wednesday 15 December.

It was all the richer because of the pandemic restrictions of last year that so affected choral activity.

More than Melody is made of a group of ladies from Bury, Oldham and Rochdale, formed in 2008 by Alyson Brailsford to have fun and fellowship and also provide musical entertainment.

Conductor Jonathan Gibson was born in Northampton. Since graduating from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) he freelances as a horn player with several ensembles and orchestras. He is also currently the managing director for Rochdale Phoenix Opera Society.

Accompanist Graham Chamberlain, since retiring as a full-time teacher, enjoys playing for church services in Rochdale and Oldham and accompanying soloists and choirs.

The choir delivered with enthusiasm – and occasional sleigh bells – a cornucopia of attractive choral gems such as African Gloria, Carol of the Bells, Calypso Noel, The Christmas Song, plus perennials like For The Beauty Of The Earth by John Rutter, When I’m 64 by Lennon & McCartney and A Winter’s Tale by Mike Batt and Tim Rice. Two numbers, Jingle Bell Rock and O Holy Night, were arranged by the conductor.

A pair of excellent soloists emerged from the choir: Jennifer Workman in a fine mezzo performance of Good Enough for Him by Peter Chesters, and Lynn Lee with a heartfelt White Christmas by Irving Berlin.

Their final set featured Winter Wonderland leading to an appropriately significant ABBA favourite, Thank You For The Music, and finally A Very Very Merry Christmas by Stephen Lawrence, which sent everyone on their way full of seasonal spirit humming their favourite songs.

This was a fitting conclusion to a renewed term of 18 concerts of Rochdale’s weekly midday music hour. This has been achieved thanks to a zealous management committee.

To book More Than Melody Ladies Choir, please contact Alyson via email.

Toad Lane Concerts will (hopefully) resume in the new year on Wednesday 12 January 2022 at 12.30pm.

The 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 at the moment, but the venue is Covid-19 compliant. Contact 01706 648872 for further information.

Dr Joe Dawson