Toad Lane Concerts: Music students from Chetham's School of Music

Slava Sidorenko piano class

Three talented young pianists from Chetham’s at a single piano for an astonishing performance, not of Chopsticks, as one might reasonably expect, but of Rachmaninoff’s mighty ‘Valse for 6 Hands’.

A triumph that set the mood for delightful works from the individuals who then performed wholly from memory: Kullak’s The Evening Bell from Amina (year 4), JS Bach’s Prelude in Cm from Artem (year 7), and a JS Bach 3-part Invention and two pieces by Chopin from Tamara (year 4).

Chetham's School of Music is an internationally renowned independent co-educational specialist music school in Manchester. There are 300 students aged 8 to 18, approximately two-thirds of whom are boarders.

The student's mentor, Slava Sidorenko is a first-rate international recitalist and concerto soloist. He began his musical education at the age of five and went to the Special Music School in Kharkov, Ukraine. An Associated Board (ABRSM) scholarship brought him to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) where he won many major awards including its coveted Gold Medal and was appointed an RNCM Ambassador.

Older pupils went on to demonstrate progression and maturity, again all from memory. Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in B minor and Chopin’s Valse in C sharp minor were beautifully played by Mariia Savkevych (year 10). Then a spirited performance of the first movement of Beethoven’s ‘Waldstein’ Sonata from Youming Ge (year 12). Finally, commanding interpretations of Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor and Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G sharp minor from Charles Day (year 13).

The audience was overjoyed with the display of musicianship and gained inspiring glimpses of fine music education from this rising generation of gifted pianists.

This was concert number 1,065 since taking over from the council in 2001. The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts are every Wednesday 12.30pm – 1.30pm at the Grade-I listed St Mary in the Baum Church, Rochdale OL16 1DZ, admission £6.

To see details of forthcoming Toad Lane Concerts, click here.

Dr Joe Dawson