Ensembles Directory

Palm Court Strings

Shelley van Loen and the Palm Court Strings

SHELLEY VAN LOEN and the Palm Court Strings are a talented and versatile group of musicians who have made a unique field of performing their own. They have earned themselves a reputation throughout the UK and are increasingly in demand for events that range from Bafta Awards at the Royal Albert Hall to the lounge of the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne.

        The group was formed in 1982 when Shelley van Loen acquired a rare collection of salon music. Since this time her library has expanded substantially to include a wide selection of classic tunes from the Salon era.

        The band specialise in performing music from the 'Golden' era of the 1920's and 30's wearing original costumes of the period with flapper dresses, tail-coats, wing collars and spats.

         Over the years they have performed in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Diana, Lady Margaret Thatcher, John Major and the President of Senegal. In complete contrast they were engaged to provide the music for Alan Ayckbourn's production of 'Tons of Money' which ran for a year at the Royal National Theatre on the South Bank in London.

       The list of events for which they have supplied the music is inexhaustible; it includes the BBC Radio 2 broadcast of the Agatha Christie Centenary Celebrations from the Grand Hotel in Torquay, an appearance in the recent TV 'Miss Marple' series with Geraldine McEwen, Lord Olivier's 80th Birthday Party, the celebration at Dover Castle to commemorate Louis Bleriot's First flight across the Channel, the 'Riverdance' 1st Night Party at the Natural History Museum and a sit-down lunch for 800 guests, ten miles into the Channel Tunnel-an event televised by Channel 4 for the programme 'Without Walls'. They also played at the Official Royal Opening of the Tunnel on 6th May 1994.

        In 2001 the band were invited to take a residency to play for afternoon tea once a month at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne where they attract capacity audiences from far and wide. On April 21st 2005 BBC Radio 4 broadcast a programme from the 'Grand' dealing with the late Tom Jenkins and salon music past and present in which Shelley van Loen and the Palm Court Strings participated. It was at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne in 1924 that the BBC made the first broadcast of their legendary Sunday night programme which began: 'We are now taking you over to the Grand Hotel Eastbourne…..'

        The Palm Court Strings released their highly acclaimed CD 'Step Lightly' in September 1998. It was reviewed by Richard Baker as his 'CD of the month' in Classic FM magazine. He pointed out that although many members of the older generation will enjoy the disc because it reminds them of their youth: 'the pleasure's not just for us oldies; the light music classics of yesterday are coming back into favour in a big way today.'

                                                                                              Margaret Campbell

  

                                           CURRICULUM VITAE

 

 

Special Events:

  • Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh with Lady Margaret Thatcher and the President of Senegal at the RAC Club
  • Lord Olivier's 80th Birthday Party at the Royal National Theatre
  • Sultan of Oman aboard the Silver Barracuda on the Thames
  • Channel Tunnel: Opening Ceremony with Her Majesty the Queen and Prime Minister John Major
  • B.A.F.T.A. Awards at the Royal Albert Hall
  • Alan Ayckbourn's 1st Night Parties, Savoy and Park Lane Hotel's, RNT
  • Tom Conti, Summer House Parties
  • Henley Royal Regatta
  • Blenheim Palace, Woburn Abbey, Brocket Hall, Wentworth Golf Club
  • British Airways at Gatwick Airport
  • Children in Need, The Bear Ball
  • Paul McCartney's Christmas Party Iron Mongers Hall London
  • “Riverdance" 1st Night Party Natural History Museum

Corporate Events

  • Saatchi and Saatchi Lloyds Bank Advertisement
  • Jaguar, Rover, Mercedes, Volvo, Audi, Volkswagen Car Launches
  • Aston Martin-19 Special Edition Cars Launched, Blenheim Palace
  • "Richard Bakers London" Book launch Savoy Hotel
  • Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Official Opening
  • Conferences: IBM Belgium, Vauxhall Motors France, American Bar Association, Phillips Electrical, Callard and Bowser.
  • "Blue Water" Shopping Centre Official Opening
  • National Anaesthetics Exhibition-ICC Birmingham
  • Euro Tunnel Exhibition Centre, Opening Ceremony

Theatres:        

  • Royal National Theatre's "Tons of Money" Dir. Alan Ayckbourn
  • Stables, Wavendon, "Love and Frolic"
  • Foyer Performances at the Royal Festival Hall and National Theatre

Radio/TV:

  • BBC Radio 2 Agatha Christie Centenary Celebrations With Ken Bruce
  • Classic FM live "Sunday Night Out" with Jane Jones.
  • BBC Radio 3 Richard Baker's Choice and “Melodies for You”
  • BBC Radio 3 Brian Kay's Light music Programme
  • BBC Radio 3 Live Broadcast from the Grand Hotel Eastbourne
  • Channel 4 "Without Walls" Channel Tunnel Celebrations
  • LBC 97.3 Radio, Live Broadcast with Sandi Toksvig

CD

  • "In the Shade of the Palms" Brian Kay Radio 3 CD of the month July 2005                
  • "Step Lightly" Richard Baker's CD of the Month Dec.98 Classic fm Mag

Residency:

  • Grand Hotel Eastbourne "Afternoon Tea", last Sunday of the Month

 Website:           - www.palmcourtstrings.co.uk     shelley@palmcourt.uk.com

This ensemble does not currently have any members.

The information contained in these CVs is provided by the clients of MAS.
MAS takes no responsibility for their accuracy.

Search

Keyboard COnnection