Singfest
Date & Time
Friday 30th August 14:00 - Sunday 1st September 16:00
Address
Bentley Copse, Hound House Rd, Shere, Guildford GU5 9JH
A friendly, small scale singing festival in the Surrey countryside led by well established singers and musicians. You learn a selection of songs which you’ll perform on the Sunday afternoon.
Everything is learnt by ear, so there’s no need to be able to read music. Everyone’s welcome – you don’t have to be a member of a choir, just keen to sing! And like any great festival, there’s camping, plenty of local beer and cider, and large campfire singarounds!
Please note the booking conditions for all our events including our cancellation policy.
The tutors this year …
Oaken is Emily Barden, Anna Tabbush, Camilo Menjura & Dominic Stichbury. As singers, choral leaders, composers & arrangers, they bring luscious harmony through performances and workshops to audiences around the UK.
Oaken have developed an exciting repertoire that showcases their vocal talents, alongside a prolific catalogue of self penned songs and arrangements. The group's innate musicality and friendship brings warmth and joy to audiences, whilst their characterful team teaching has delighted workshop go-ers since they began.
Aimee Leonard is a Voice Coach and certified Estill Master Trainer with a background in folk. She is now London based but originally hails from the Orkney Isles.
Philip Read is a choir leader and runs two open access community choirs in Oxford, Man Choir and Best Sing Since Sliced Bread. He also run's an annual blokes’ singing weekend called Singing in the Shed and performs regularly with the amazing Spooky Men’s Chorale and their fun-sized UK version, A Fistful of Spookies. He also runs a wellbeing choir for NHS staff at Oxford University Hospital!
Programme
SingFest opens at 2pm on Friday and culminates with a performance on Sunday at 3pm.
You are welcome to arrive from 2pm on the Friday to set up camp. Activities start at 4pm on Friday with a ukelele workshop for families. An optional meal is available for purchase on Friday evening followed by a singing workshop, ceilidh and campfire sing-around.
Workshops get going on Saturday morning at 10.30 AM with a warm up and continue throughout the day with plenty of time for tea breaks and socialising. Around 7pm we serve the ‘now famous’ Singfest BBQ. Afterwards, there’s an open mic singaround, a jam session and the must-not-miss Saturday campfire.
On Sunday we continue with singing workshops and finish in a performance early Sunday afternoon. A full programme will be available nearer the time.
Catering and Food
We provide simple breakfasts and hot drinks throughout the festival. For 2024 we are expanding our food options:
1) An all inclusive Friday night meal, Saturday lunch and Saturday night BBQ ticket for the special price of £20.
2) Or buy these meals separately on site (£8 for Friday evening meal and £5 for a light lunch on Saturday).
On Saturday evening we have our BBQ for £12 with extra items priced at £2. We serve a number of vegetarian options as well as quality meat sourced from local butchers. The main BBQ Meal includes salads and a jacket potato. You may also purchase extra items from the BBQ when you buy a main meal.
We also run a licensed bar selling local real ale and cider, wines and soft drinks throughout the festival.
On Sunday lunchtime we invite in good quality outside caterers to serve us delicious meals for you to purchase. We make sure they cater for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores.