The pianist who lit up the Lake District
RIPWe have been notified of the death of Renna Kellaway, Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music when her husband Sir John Manduell was its director.
Aware that the rural North West lacked pedigree musical performance, she founded Lake District Summer Music in 1985 and led it for a third of a century.
Renna was 89.
On a different tack with apologies
Ch4 ‘THE CHAT’…aka THE PIANO
the White Suit the obvious reason for tuning in !
Look foreward to hearing more than18 notes next time Chopin is Played next week between the embarrassing non stop football like Commentary.
Renna Kellaway was the wife of Sir John Manduel, the founding principal of the RNCM when I was there as a postgraduate. Renna Kellaway I remember was a very much sought after piano teacher on the staff at the time. He died in 2017.
I knew her name but was there when John Manduell was actually Head of Keyboard Studies himself. He was always an entertaining conversationalist, chain-smoking his filterless Gitanes which didn’t so much burn as have a depository of molten tar bubbling on the tip. Eighty-nine is a good age, RIP, Renna.
A wonderful lady who cared so much about young musicians. R.I.P. Renna.
Renna was an inspirational teacher during my 4 years as a student of hers at the University of Birmingham (she would teach a day a week at the Conservatoire). As a result of our lessons, my commitment to the piano increased tenfold. She will be sadly missed.
An inspirational teacher. Timothy Reynish comments here
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Renna%20Kellaway
Renna Kellaway was a very much sought-after piano teacher where her South African husband, Sir John Manduell, was the founding principal of that new college that came into being in 1973 as the Royal Northern College of Music. End of an era really with them both now gone.
Sorry to hear of Renna’s (and John’s ) passing – they were good friends of my mother( teacher & part time pianist) and my father and I had a few piano lessons at their home in Solihull and got to know their family, daughter Helen especially during our childhood . We lost touch over the years. Good to read though how much they achieved following their love of music.