He was a huge fan before - but now Philip MacKenzie 'Just can't help believin' and wants to 'Gimme!Gimme!Gimme!'.

Eastern Daily Press: Gordon Hendricks at the 02 London. Photo: Cromer Hall ConcertsGordon Hendricks at the 02 London. Photo: Cromer Hall Concerts (Image: Cromer Hall Concerts)

As conductor of the British Symphony Orchestra he will be leading the 40-plus musicians at the first two summer picnic concerts to be held in the grounds of Cromer Hall. The orchestra concerts will be devoted to the music of Abba and Elvis.

He said: 'It will be a big departure for me but I'm looking forward to it. I love Abba and Elvis, but when we started I did not think I knew that much about Elvis, but the music's in your subconscious.

'My favourite Abba song is Slipping Through my Fingers. It reminds me of my daughter, who is eight. I can remember her sitting on my lap when it was playing.

'I'm looking forward to presenting these songs in two different ways, with the big orchestra sound and the tribute acts. I'm sure fans of both Abba and Elvis will love it.'

Eastern Daily Press: Philip MacKenzie, principal conductor of the British Symphony Orchestra. Photo: Cromer Hall ConcertsPhilip MacKenzie, principal conductor of the British Symphony Orchestra. Photo: Cromer Hall Concerts (Image: Cromer Hall Concerts)

BBC broadcaster and EDP columnist Nick Conrad is promoting the events with business partner Martin Lord.

They hope the concerts will bring people to Cromer for the day, and have commissioned all-new orchestrations, ranging from pop to operatic.

Mr Conrad said: 'The quality of the writers is fantastic. Sales have been very good in Cromer, which is not surprising. We're looking to do small, intimate picnic concerts, with crowds of a couple of thousand rather than 10,000. And where people don't have to wait three hours to get in, based in wonderful environs. People who aren't even Elvis or Abba fans are inquisitive about what it's going to be like.'

They hope picnic concerts will become an annual event at Cromer Hall.

Eastern Daily Press: The British Symphony Orchestra in residence at Cadogan Hall, London. Photo: alastairmerrill.comThe British Symphony Orchestra in residence at Cadogan Hall, London. Photo: alastairmerrill.com (Image: Cromer Hall Concerts)

Saturday, August 5, at 7.30pm, will see the orchestra and Abba Revival singers celebrate Abba's hits.

And on Sunday, August 6, at 6.15pm, it's an evening of Elvis classics, many sung by Gordon Hendricks, who shot to fame by winning Stars In Their Eyes on ITV.

tickets are available from http://www.cromerhallconcerts.com/events/