BEN OCCHIPINTI - DIRECTOR
Winterbourne Opera: Le Nozze di Figaro, Dido and Aeneas, Acis and Galatea, L’Elisir d’amore and Semele.
Other Credits: Noye’s Fludde (Iford Opera) ;Spread a Little Happiness, Jack and the Bean Stalk, The Wizard
of Oz, Oliver!, The Boy Friend (Director); The Picture (Assistant Director); Alice, A Family Cook Book, Around
the World in 80 Days, Peter Pan (Composer) all at Salisbury Playhouse. Dr Quimpugh’s Compendium of
Peculiar Afflictions (Petersham Playhouse and Edinburgh Festival); Mack and Mabel (Greenwich Theatre);
Into the Woods and Parade (The Lowry); Bugsy Malone, Calamity Jane (Theatre Royal Bath); Good Intentions,
Rain Dance, The Whale Savers (W11 Opera at the Riverside Studios) ; I Need a Dr (Edinburgh Festival) ;
Spend Spend Spend (Birmingham Old Rep). La Rondine and Albert Herring (Assistant director BYO)
SUSAN MACKENZIE-PARK - MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Susan Mackenzie-Park was born in Scotland, studied singing at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and
Drama and then at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she held an Ian Fleming Award and a Sir
James Caird Scholarship. She was also supported by the Worshipful Company of Tallowchandlers during
her time at the Guildhall.
Susan’s career has taken her all over the world. Stage credits include Opera North, The Royal Opera and Kent
Opera, Buxton Festival Opera, as well as North America and Europe, including the Banff Festival of the Arts
in Canada and the Walton Foundation on Ischia. She spent time studying the Bel Canto repertoire at The
Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh with Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge.
Susan has been fortunate to work with some of the world’s greatest conductors: Georg Solti, Bernard
Haitink, Esa Pekka Salonnen, Colin Davies, Antonio Pappano, Paul Daniel, Danielle Gatti, Carlo Rizzi, Richard
Bonynge, Richard Hickox & David Willcocks.
Her discography includes Suor Angelica with Antonio Pappano for EMI. Broadcasts include Britten Noye’s
Fludde for BBC 4 and Classic FM’s ‘Meet the Artist’ series with Malcolm Martineau.
More recently she has been able to bring this wealth of experience in to her private teaching practice and is
building a reputation as a teacher through the successes of her students. She has had several students who
have gone on to study at music colleges throughout the UK and two choral scholars at Oxford & Cambridge.
KIT HOBKIRK - CONDUCTOR
Kit Hobkirk, was born in Henley-On-Thames and received his early musical education at St. Mary’s Music
School in Edinburgh, becoming the Head Chorister and then Cathedral Organ Scholar. He studied singing at
the RSAMD in Glasgow and was a Foundation Scholar at the RCM, studying with Neil Mackie.
He has sung as a soloist with chambe