Mother's Day will have sumptuous tea, lilting orchestral music, the pomp of Gilbert and Sullivan, the rousing rush of God Save the Queen and even a cannon - all in keeping with the theme of the afternoon: Rule Britannia.
The cannon is not a weapon, but an artistic delight. Prince George Symphony Orchestra player Al Cannon sets down his trumpet and picks up the baton as special guest conductor. The PGSO's Mother's Day Tea goes at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Columbus Community Centre in College Heights and Cannon gets to celebrate by leading the ensemble.
"He's a very gifted player and is moving also into another area of interest: conducting. It is something he's been studying," said PGSO general manager Marnie Hamagami. "He is really very committed to the symphony, he knows the players, and he also knows the Russell family because he performed in the Les Miserables orchestra [produced and directed by Judy Russell]."
Jon Russell, son of Judy, will be singing one of the Gilbert and Sullivan songs featured at the Mother's Day Tea. The young vocalist is tackling the challenging song The Very Model of a Modern Major General from The Pirates of Penzance - a piece his grandfather Alex Murray called "a real bear-cat" when he sang it with the PGSO many years ago.
There will be other Gilbert and Sullivan songs as well, a collection of folk tunes by Vaughan Williams, plus compositions by Purcell, Elgar, Walton, Britten and Grainger's iconic God Save the Queen.
The music will be just part of the event. The tea is as much a presentation as the orchestra.
"Each table has a hostess, and each one has a carefully made tea package, and there is a lot of furious activity as they unpack and set their table perfectly," said Hamagami. "It is wildly popular, very well attended, and it's maybe my favourite event of the year."
The day's nibbly goodies are donated by Goode's Catering, the tea and coffee are donated by David's Tea and Second Cup.
Tickets are on sale at the PGSO Office, Studio 2880, CN Centre box office or online via Ticketmaster ($30 adult, $26 senior, $15 students).
