Martha Hayward graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Leeds College of Music, specialising in performance. She was granted a scholarship from the Dewar Arts Awards and the Yorkshire Ladies Council of Education.
Her most memorable moments include singing solo for Prince Charles, collaborating live on BBC Radio one with Clean Bandit, as well as singing in Peak Cavern, Castleton and even on a punt in Cambridge.
She is a regular recitalist, soloist, wedding singer, chorister and has performed in lots of shows as the lead role, including: Patience, Iolanthe and The Mikado. Recently, Martha has been involved with the Memory Cafe and SuperJam Tea Parties, offering much needed respite for carers and sufferers of dementia and has been touring the UK with Matthew Lazenby (piano).
Martha is currently teaching at Hill House School (Doncaster), and also teaches privately in Barnsley.
Martha and Matthew are proud to share their weekly Tuneful Tuesday series on YouTube.
A native of Yorkshire, Matthew Lazenby read music at the University of Leeds. He now has a diverse professional music portfolio as a choral conductor, piano teacher, organist and accompanist for exams, recitals and performance.
Matthew is Director of Music at St Martin’s Church in Leeds, Musical Director of Horsforth Choral Society and Accompanist for Leeds Male Voice Choir, Leeds Youth Choir and the Heritage Masterworks Chorale. He is also Musical Director of the ‘Music for a While’ ensemble in l’Abbaye de Marcilhac-sur-Célé in southern France. As a chorister he has performed with numerous choirs in venues as diverse as Chester Cathedral, St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Manchester Cathedral and Southwell Minster.
As an accompanist, recent highlights include performances in Chartres Cathedral, Leeds Minster, Morley Town Hall, Leeds Cathedral, Leeds Town Hall, Ripon Cathedral, St Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent, La Madeleine in Paris, the church of Santa Maria della Pieta in Venice and St Florin’s Cathedral in Vaduz.
As a recitalist, recent venues have included Wakefield Cathedral, Hexham Abbey and St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh. He is currently touring the UK with a recital series with soprano Martha Hayward.
Upcoming recitals at St George’s
30th October: BNM Series 10: Trinity Laban John Halford Piano and Composition Competition Prize-winning recital with performers Miha Smirnov Ostir, Alexander Arenare, Yaoying Wang, Isabella Gori, Mikaela Livadiotis (piano) and works by Pradalie, Mia, Cheng, Stephens, Ganesan and Monatague
1st November: Klanglust String Orchestra perform works by Bach, Jenkins and Mendelssohn
6th November: BNM Series 11: Celebrating ‘ABRSM Spectrum’ with pianist Michiko Shimanuki performing works by Burrell, Tanaka, Ruders, Roxburgh, Cashian, Shimanuki and Mills
8th November: Steph Legg (saxophone)
13th November: BNM Series 11: Duo Ardore in Italy with violinist Rebecca Raimondi and pianist Alessandro Viale performing works by Carnini, Scarlato, Quagliarini, Munari and Marchettini