Choir Camp with Suzi Quatro at Dunfield

Following the success of previous weekends with special guests including Dana, Sheila Ferguson and Kiki Dee, Choir Camp is back for the sixth time, at the idyllic Dunfield House with a very special performance by rock trailblazer Suzi Quatro.

Choir Camp conductor Matthew Jones tells us all about this year’s exciting event coming to Kington and how you can be part of it…

“Commencing on the Friday evening, a delicious buffet of home-cooked food is served as we mingle and settle in. We then sing a range of musical and vocal styles; I’m already writing six-part arrangements for the occasion. After some songs around the campfire and a nightcap or two, it’s ‘lights out’ before waking up to a full English breakfast, setting us up for a busy Saturday of music-making.

“We have the exclusive run of the 19th-century mansion and its fifteen-acre grounds of rolling Welsh Border countryside. Requisitioned during World War II for American forces, Dunfield House was a bolthole for Winston Churchill for high-level meetings and elaborate dinners. Nearby Hergest Ridge inspired Mike Oldfield’s 1974 album of the same name and, according to local folklore, the chilling legend surrounding its Court was drawn upon by Arthur Conan Doyle for his classic ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’. There’s time during the day to take a swim or wander through the labyrinth. In the evening, we don our glad rags and dance the night away, after a champagne reception and gala dinner.

“A Sunday roast breaks up another day’s singing, culminating in a very special afternoon session with rock trailblazer Suzi Quatro. The Detroit-born singer and bassist moved to the UK in 1971, after being discovered by record producer Mickie Most. In little over 18 months, “Can the Can” topped the charts internationally, and subsequent hits such as “48 Crash”, “Devil Gate Drive” and “If You Can’t Give Me Love” helped her amass record sales to date of over 55 million worldwide. “Stumblin’ In”, Suzi’s duet with Chris Norman (Smokie), has had a revival of late, owing to its use on the soundtrack to the Netflix series Dahmer. From playing Leather Tuscadero in Happy Days to presenting on BBC Radio 2, Quatro’s career is as diverse as her music. She refuses to be “boxed in” to any one artistic realm, and continues to inspire new talent and the likes of KT Tunstall, with whom she recently released Face to Face, an album of original duets.

“Friends and family have the chance to enjoy a showcase of our efforts and join us for cream tea, before we say our goodbyes, until 2025. As far as I’m concerned, there is no activity more inclusive than group singing, so whether you’re a complete beginner or seasoned professional, I invite you to join me in what promises to be yet another unforgettable experience.

For more information and to book tickets, call 01922 915230 or email info@saintececile.co.uk

Matthew Jones, Conductor.