Piano à Deux
The story so far
Surprisingly, Robert & Linda met online, not through music. They married in 2008 and “Piano À Deux” was formed in 2010.
Though their repertoire includes the familiar, their research has led to their discovery of neglected composers like George Onslow, whose duet sonatas they found in a dusty library drawer and which they have since recorded.
To date they have recorded four CDs: their second CD ‘France Revisited’ – Divine Art label- includes Onslow’s Op 7 Duo Sonata, his six solo pieces, Debussy’s ‘Petite Suite’ & songs by Poulenc (arranged by Linda). Their latest CD ‘France Revisited 2’ with Onslow’s Op. 22 Sonata will soon be released.
Critics said that their playing in ‘France Revisited’ was “piano four hands …at its very best..” Their “Petite Suite” (Debussy) won high praise & they have been hailed as being worthy of taking on the mantle of Goldstone and Clemmow, a duo whose career was aborted by the untimely death of Anthony Goldstone.
Their 3rd CD: ’Porgy, Preludes & Paris’, with their arrangements of music by Gershwin, has also had glowing reviews.
Their first CD ‘Strictly Not Bach’ (2011) was highly praised. Through this, £2,000 was raised for various charities including WorldVision.
Novel programming with titles like ‘From Mistresses to Manhattan’ presented with charm, humour and drama, combined with their original arrangements has won them many fans worldwide. Their work on cruise ships, temporarily curtailed by Covid 19, has turned them into globetrotters.
On land, they have performed in Europe, the UK & Singapore, & were live on Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ in 2015 with the prize-winning violinist Erzhan Kulibaev.
The Covid Lockdown provided a springboard for inspirational online group activities. These began with “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” where participants explored sixteen sonnets, and continued with ACE – “Amazing Culture Enthusiast” which was a journey of discovery about Music, Literature and Art, all laced with humour.
Their online “2-minute Tips on Composers” has been warmly received and more will follow.
Their repertoire also includes music for two pianos, and their latest project “From Rachs to Riches”, a concert including Rachmaninoff’s Two piano Suite Op 17 and their own “Scenes From Porgy & Bess” all played from memory met with warm and wholehearted responses.
Their two concerts in Finland in Summer 2025 also met with the same unqualified enthusiasm, and the entire audience gave them a standing ovation at the second concert.”
Profiles
Robert Stoodley
Robert, a linguist, studied Hindi instead of Chinese, not knowing that he would one day marry a Mandarin speaker. Combining linguistic and musical studies, he gained the Premier Prix at the Conservatoire de Lyon (France), has broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and given recitals and concerto performances throughout the UK.
Some of Robert’s songs have been published and are sung throughout the world. Some have been recorded, the most recent recording being “St. Michael-le-Belfrey – the Vinyl Years”.
Linda Ang Stoodley
Linda has since focused on the piano, and performed extensively in the UK, Europe, Mauritius and Singapore; on Dutch and Mauritius television, Radio Scotland, Radio Oxford, Radio 3; and live on Classic FM and Premier Radio. She has recorded with several artistes and has released seven CDs of her own.
Linda was featured in the Singapore “Straits Times” and the Singapore Airlines In-flight Magazine and as cover girl for “Woman Alive” magazine.
In 2002, Janet Fairlie and Linda created “Diva, Diva” delighting cruise line passengers on Crystal, Cunard, Holland America & Regent Sevenseas. Then, in 2005, each Diva stepped out, Janet into London’s West End, and Linda to touring with her solo shows which have met with critical acclaim on land as well as on luxury cruise lines like Silversea & Seabourn.
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