The Palm Court's ever-popular Tea Party concert will be a particular treat for Nanaimo music lovers this year.
The city's own baritone Shae Apland is guest soloist at the group's performances May 21 at the T. Gil Bunch Centre in Mill Bay and May 28 at the Uvic Centre in Victoria.
It is the promising 26-year-old vocalist's debut performance with the Palm Court Light, and first Island performance on his return from New York. For the past two years he has been studying at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, graduating in May.
"We are fortunate to have Shae as our soloist," said Cowichan Valley conductor Charles Job. "I predict that one day our audiences will be able to say with some pride: 'he once sang with the Palm Court Orchestra.'"
Orchestra founder and conductor Job has arranged an afternoon concert experience that will have even those not familiar with light music humming along.
Signature tune Country Garden by Percy Grainger, that most memorable of WWI songs It's a Long Way to Tipperary, and selections from Rodger and Hammerstein's comedic musical Flower Drum Song all feature the professional 26-member orchestra.
Apland's rich baritone will open the second set with Rodger's Oh What A Beautiful Morning, Haydn Wood's Love's Garden of Roses, and Canadian-born composer Laura Lemon's beloved Scottish folk song My Ain Folk.
Apland describes the repertoire as fun and readily recognizable, "...the type of songs that are great to sing and which audiences love to hear."
For more information or tickets, call Palm Court Concerts at 748-9964. Tickets are also available at Third Addition Mill Bay, Volume One Books Duncan, T. Gil Box Office at Brentwood College, Mill Bay and at the UVic Box Office at 721-8480.