Even though heB次元官网网址檚 lived in Canada for decades, there is a bit of an English accent left in Charles JobB次元官网网址檚 voice. The cultural crossover does not end there.

The founder and conductor of the Palm Court Light Orchestra has been reviving light orchestral music for 31 years, and his heritage is key part of the orchestraB次元官网网址檚 soul. Job started as a viola player, but after an accident left him unable to play, he began conducting amateur musical theatre productions. In the early 1980s, he began to rediscover the music from his childhood that he would hear in flower parks not unlike Beacon Hill Park, and thatB次元官网网址檚 when the Palm Court Light Orchestra began.

B次元官网网址淟ots of music is not live in the sense of human beings actually sitting down and playing at that moment, without amplification. ItB次元官网网址檚 a rare thing.B次元官网网址� That passion for live music keeps him going.

Job said that the type of music he programs, primarily written in the first half of the 20th century, was reserved for the wealthy during the colonial era of B次元官网网址減alm trees and wicker furniture,B次元官网网址� but that it became popular with the people after it was put on the radio.

The season starts Oct. 5 with a concert entitled B次元官网网址淕rand HotelB次元官网网址�, featuring Edwardian favourites like The TeddybearB次元官网网址檚 Picnic, The Grasshoppers Dance, and In the Shade of the Palms, which is the sort of music once played at the Empress Hotel. Job is excited about this seasonB次元官网网址檚 ValentineB次元官网网址檚 concert, entitled My Funny Valentine after the famous song by Rodgers and Hart, sung by guest soloist Rebecca Hass, a mezzo-soprano. She will also perform songs by Jerome Kern, Edward Elgar and Camille Saint-Saens.

B次元官网网址淓verybody remembers Rodgers and Hammerstein but Rodgers and Hart were before that,B次元官网网址� said Job. B次元官网网址淎nd Lorenz Hart made some great songs.B次元官网网址�

The season will end on Apr. 5-6 with April Showers featuring the music of Al Jolson and selections from early Broadway musicals like Jule StyneB次元官网网址檚 1963 Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand.

Job never imagined the venture would last 31 seasons, but he cautioned that fundraising remains a challenge.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had wonderful support from people. Last year we were close to $20,000 in personal donations. WeB次元官网网址檙e the envy of many people in the arts. Where we havenB次元官网网址檛 done that well is from government. We tend not to get chosen for project grants.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淧art of our thing is to keep this sort of music alive for a while longer.B次元官网网址�

The Palm Court Light Orchestra will play at the Mary Winspear Centre at 2 p.m. on Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 at the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre at Oak Bay High School on Oct 6 at 2:30 p.m.