Emma Pritchard

The stunning vocal and instrumental collaboration of Melissa Buchholz and Meg Kiddle will delight Clarence Valley residents and take them on a mesmerising journey which celebrates some of the world’s most iconic singers and songwriters when they perform their highly anticipated concert Queens of Song at the Saraton Theatre in Grafton on April 7 at 2pm.

Featuring internationally renowned tunes by Olivia Newton John, Judith Durham, Aretha Franklins, Whitney Houston, and many more, the not-to-be-missed event will bring the undisputed beauty of their unique artistry back to life on stage.

Born and raised in the Clarence Valley, Ms Buchholz commenced her musical career at St Cecilia’s, known today as the Clarence Valley Conservatorium, and has gone on to establish an impressive international repertoire including being offered a position on the Trinity College of London’s music examinations panel in 2023.

An accomplished pianist with a keen eye for detail and a deep love for performing, Ms Buchholz is looking forward to returning to Northern NSW next month and said Queens of Song will be an incredibly nostalgic concert for herself and Ms Kiddle.

“We both attended South Grafton High School in the 1980s, and our time there together shaped our musical education,” she said.

“Queens of Song is a project we have been working on for a long time and we wanted to bring it home, bring it to a local audience and share the music we love with the people we grew up with.”

With her beautiful vocal abilities, talented soprano Ms Kiddle is eagerly anticipating the upcoming performance and is looking forward to singing a variety of songs by some of her favourite artists including Eva Cassidy. 

“Eva and Karen Carpenter (from The Carpenters) were among my favourite performers growing up, and I feel very blessed to be working on this project with Meg and sharing the music of these phenomenal performers with new generations of music lovers,” she said.

Joining Ms Buchholz and Ms Kiddle will be Lower Clarence performer Maneesha Davis who recently told the Clarence Valley Independent she is thrilled and honoured to have the opportunity to perform alongside two established musicians at the iconic local venue.

“As a performer growing up in the Clarence Valley, I think the Saraton Theatre was the one place you always wanted to sing in, or play in,” she said.

“I studied musical theatre in Brisbane, and to have the chance to come back to Grafton and be part of Queens of Song with Melissa and Kim, I can’t describe how excited I am.”

Tickets for Queens of Song can be purchased online at https://www.saraton.com/event/queens-of-song