TWO talented Suffolk women will be performing in front of the Queen during the celebrations in honour of her jubilee.Dancer Wendy Dow, from Felixstowe, will taking part in the jubilee parade in London on Tuesday while young Ipswich violinist Kerenza Peacock will be playing with her pop heroes at the Party at the Palace on Monday.

By James Fraser

TWO talented Suffolk women will be performing in front of the Queen during the celebrations in honour of her jubilee.

Dancer Wendy Dow, from Felixstowe, will taking part in the jubilee parade in London on Tuesday while young Ipswich violinist Kerenza Peacock will be playing with her pop heroes at the Party at the Palace on Monday.

Kerenza, 23, who is studying in her final year at the Royal Academy of Music, will be providing the string backing for star acts such as Will Young, Aretha Franklin and Elton John at the jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace.

And she will even be accompanying the Queen herself – as it was revealed this week that Her Majesty will take to the stage with other members of her family to sing the Beatles' classic, All You Need is Love.

Former Ipswich High School pupil Kerenza, whose parents live in Suffolk, will be leading the Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra, who will support the bands of pop legends such as Paul McCartney, Tom Jones and the bat-chomping wild man of heavy metal, Ozzy Osbourne.

Tartan crooner Rod Stewart has asked for a smaller ensemble for his set – and Kerenza was one of those chosen.

Kerenza, who has been playing the violin since she was three, said that playing at the palace was "a great honour".

"Aretha Franklin is a big hero of mine but I'm not sure whether I'm more excited about meeting Prince William or Will Young!"

The preparation for the big day has been gruelling – with 14-hours of a rehearsals a day in the week leading up to the concert. An EMI recording of the concert will also be made.

Wendy Dow, 24, of Thurston Court, will be one of 4,000 people participating in a celebration parade down London's famous Mall, outside Buckingham Palace, on Tuesday,

She is a member of CultureShock UK – a hip hop dance group, based in Watford, Herts – who will be forming part of the 'Future' represented in the parade, which also has 'Past' and 'Present' sections to mark the Queen's 50-year reign.

"To be asked to be part of the future is quite special," she said. "It's going to be great publicity for us as we've only been together as a group since January."