Piano-a-Deux

Robert Stoodley has performing and teaching diplomas from the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, and has won many awards. He studied with Dorothea Law, student of Paul Baumgartner and Alfred Brendel (Vienna). 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. Robert was recently Musical Director for the legendary Tommy Cannon (British comedians Cannon & Ball).

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”.

Singapore pianist Linda Ang (B.Mus. Edinburgh) studied at the Guildhall School of Music. Whilst there, she won many prizes including the Royal-Overseas League Accompanist’s Prize. She was harpsichordist of the Guildhall String Ensemble when they won the Internationales Jeunesses Musicales Competition (Belgrade). During their prizewinner’s tour Linda performed Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto with flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal. Linda has since focused on the piano. In a recital at the Wigmore Hall, the Daily Telegraph remarked on her “wide range of sensitively applied keyboard colours”. She was also an official accompanist for Holland’s prestigious International Vocalisten Concours in s’-Hertogenbosch. Linda has performed in the UK, Europe, Mauritius, Singapore; on Dutch and Mauritius television, Radio Scotland, Radio Oxford, Radio 3, live on Premier Radio and Classic FM.

She has recorded with several artistes and has released seven CDs of her own. Linda was featured in Singapore’s “Straits Times” and Singapore Airlines’ In-flight Magazine and was cover girl for “Woman Alive” magazine.

Contrary to expectations, Robert & Linda did not meet through music, but on a dating website. They discovered much in common, and married in 2008. “Piano À Deux” was formed in 2010. Its ‘Four Hands One Heart’ approach is redefining the piano duo experience for audiences worldwide. Unexpectedly, their research has not only informed their playing of the standard repertoire for four hands on one or two pianos, but has led to their discovery of neglected composers like George Onslow, as represented on their first Divine Art album. Their first CD, ‘Strictly Not Bach’, was released in 2011 to glowing reviews. Through this, “Piano À Deux” with their audiences, have raised £2,000 for WorldVision and other charities.

Their unique combination of charisma, comedy and virtuosity set in scintillating original arrangements has won them a large following, particularly as a result of their globetrotting adventures on cruise ships. Since 2010 they have played in Hungary, Italy, Singapore, and the UK, and performed live on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ in August 2015 with the prize winning violinist Erzhan Kulibaev.