Michael Hoole, guitar, and Titia Blake, violin, have performed as a duo since 1997, providing background music for incentive tours and promotions, as well as playing at weddings, for which a personalized service is available. The numerous venues, at which they have performed include wine estates such as Constantia Uitsig, Buitenverwachting, Spier, Morgenhof, and Rhebokskloof, as well as major hotels such as The 12 Apostles, The Lord Charles, Table Bay, Mount Nelson, Cape Sun, and Cape Grace. Their broad repertoire suits any occasion (a few examples are listed below.) This duo is noted for its ability to adapt to any situation or to prepare any prior requests. Due to the fact that everything is played by memory, they are able to establish direct audience contact, thus enabling them to establish an appropriate mood.

Sound equipment included in our service ...

Palm Strings Duo offer a full range of sound equipment which include both standard and battery powered PA systems. The enormous benefit of this being that all ceremonies have the flexibility of being conducted anywhere!

The Palm Strings Duo has become associated with weddings throughout the Western Cape. Titia and Michael have been playing together for many years & have a wealth of information to share with you.
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" Dearest Titia and Mike,

You made my party!  You made my day!  You made everybody's day!  And I thank you from the bottom of my happy heart for making it so.  Music definitely the MOST impactful artform and your repertoire was so sensitively chosen that there was something for absolutely everybody. All my guests commented on it, as you know and I hope that they will use you in the future.

Apart from making beautiful music, you are also such NICE people and so youthful and goodlooking as well!   :-)
What a bonus to have that as well as the talent.

I t is a pity that you did not come inside for my speech because I raved about you and thanked you publicly and I am so glad that I heard you that first time in the Link.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you - with love and appreciation
."
Mariechen Schimmel
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" It was lovely to meet you last night. You were awesome! The NLA team would like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for your excellent contribution in making last night’s event a successful one. It would not have been the same without all that beautiful music! "
Mandy Whitehead - Personal Assistant to Jan Newman
 
" A warm THANK YOU for sharing our special day with us, we have been inundated with compliments about how brilliant PALM STRING were, and we would definitely have to agree, the atmosphere created was fantastic.
We are truly grateful.
"
Cindy & Sydney Wentink
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" Hi Titia and Michael, On behalf of our residents and visitors I would like to give you both our sincere appreciation for a truly wonderful performance, I have had nothing but praise for the evening. You and Michael have such a great rapport with your musical arrangements for violin and guitar it is absolutely world class!! I would like you to play in our village again next year, if you will be available, I will contact you again towards the end of the year to make a booking for 2012. Once again THANK YOU. "
Margaret Lavin Entertainment Club Chairman - Noordhoek Manor
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A   t a s t e   o f   T h e   P a l m   S t r i n g s   D u o   R e p e r t o i r e
















Traditional Wedding Music
Wedding Marches;
Here Comes the Bride – Wagner
Midsummer Night's Dream - Mendelssohn
Pachelbel Canon in D
Stanley - Trumpet Voluntary
Charpentier Prelude to Te Deum
Clarke Trumpet Voluntary
Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Elgar Salut D Amour
Hornpipe [water music]
Romance - Anonymous Guitar Melody
Delibes Flower Duet from Lakme
Bach Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Bach / Gounod Ave Maria
Beethoven Ode to Joy
Rodrigo Adagio from concerto de Aranjuez
Schubert Ave Maria
Mozart slow movt from Piano concerto no 21 [theme]
Puccini – O Mio Babino Caro
Purcell Trumpet Tune
Simantov & Mazeltov

Hymns, Choruses and Gospel
Most popular Hymns;
Vows have been spoken (Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken)
Praise My Soul King of Heaven
All Things Bright and Beautiful
The Lord is My Shepherd
Jerusalem
Shalom Aleichem / Husidl / Od Yishama
...................... or any other hymn

Arise My Love Scott Brasher & Michael Card
I believe in You & Me Sandy Linzer & David Wolfert
Wedding Song Paul Stookey
You Raise me Up
.................... or any other Gospel song

Classical
Albeniz Tango
Bach - Air on G
Sonate in C
Beethoven - Fur Elise
Sonatine in G
Bizet Habanera from Carmen
L. Boccherini Minuet
Brahms Hungarian Dance #5
Dvorak Humoresque
Giuliani Six Leichte Stucke
Gluck / Kreisler Melodie
Kreisler Liebeslied / Liebesfreud / Schon Rosmarin
Martini-Kreisler Andantino
Monti Czardas
Mozart - Andante from Sonata no. 16 KV 545
Rondo Alla Turka
Adagio from clarinet concerto
Allegro from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Romance from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Piazzola Tango & Skye
Puccini Nessun Dorma
Schubert - The Bee
Serenade
Shakespearean Tunes Greensleaves / What if a Day
Tchaikowsky Swan Lake excerpts
Waltz of the Flowers from Nutcracker
Thais Meditation
Villa-Lobos H Bachianas Brasilianas# 5
Vivaldi - Spring from Four Seasons
Largo from Winter
Preludio & Corrente from Sonate no 8

Pop/Rock
Abba - Dancing Queen / Mama Mia / Fernando / Waterloo
Bryan Adams - Heaven / I Think about You
Beatles - love me do / Michelle / Penny Lane / Imagine / Something / Money Can't Buy Me Love
Beltranruiz P Sway
Brightman S Time to say Goodbye
Buble M Home
Burt Bacharach Close to You
Calvin Lewis & Andrew Wright When a Man Loves a Woman
Clapton - Tears in Heaven / Layla / The way you look tonight / Wonderful Tonight
Cold Play Viva La Vida
Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel Killing me Softly with his Song
De Burgh C Lady in Red
Harem P A Whiter Shade of Pale
Iglesias Hero
Gimbel & Fox Killing me Softly with his song
James Blunt You're Beautiful
Jones N Dont Know why i didnt come
John E Something about the Way you look tonight
Justin Timberlake Lovestoned Interlude
Keating R When you say nothing at all
Mamas & Papas House of the Rising Sun
Morrison V Have i told you Lately / Brown Eyed Girl
Metallica Nothing Else Matters
Meyers S Classical Gas [Mae Vanessa]
Orbison R Pretty Woman
Queen Crazy little thing called love
Presley E Love me Tender & Cant help falling in Love
Righteous Brothers Unchained Melody
Sting Every Breath / Everything she does is Magic / Fragile / Fields of Barley
Simon & Garfunkel Sounds of Silence
Toto Africa
The Verve Bittersweet Symphony
U2 Pride
Williams Robbie Feel
Willie Mitchell & Al Green Let's Stay Together
Zeppelin L Stairway to Heaven

World Music
SA - Nkosi Sikelele i Afrika
Mango Groov's Special Star [penny whistle trio only]
Mama Thembu's wedding / Wimoweh [in the jungle]
Click Song / Njilo Njilo
Africa Sky Blue / Impi [J Clegg]
Neapolitan Songs alla Pavarotti -
Torna Sorrento / Funiculi Funicula / Volare D Modugno
Mattinata R Leoncavallo / La Paloma/ La Cumparsita / Jealousy / Besame Mucho
French Waltzes - Under the Bridges of Paris / Valse Avec Swing
Non, Je ne Regrette Rien / L Vie en Rose / Cest ci Bon
Russian - Kalinka / Ochie Chornie / Volga Waltz / Two Guitars
Various Gyprey Dances
Various Traditional Klesmer Tunes
Brazilian Folk Music - Danza Brazilia / Choros / Quantanamera / Bossa Nova / Jealousy
Spanish - Gypsey Kings Inspiration / Volare / Tico Tico
Irish Jigs Reels and Hornpipes - Drowsy Maggie / Dance of the Faeries / Jig / Danny Boy / Tracks from the Riverdance / Lord of the Dance
American - Fiddle Millionaire's Hoedown
Australia - Waltzing Mathilda

Movies & Shows
Arthur's Theme
American Idol A Moment Like This
Blue Hawai Cant Help Falling in Love
The Deer Hunter Cavatina
Doctor Zhivago Lara's Theme
Elvira Madigan theme
Fiddler on the Roof Sunrise Sunset,If i Were a Rich Man
French Kiss - I Love Paris, Dream a Little Dream, La Mer, Cest ci Bon
Love, Actually All you need is Love [Beatles]
The Godfather theme
The Mission Morrecione's Gabriel's Oboe
Tango from Scent of a Woman
Shrek 2 Accidentally in Love
Have You Met Miss Jones Lorenz Hart & Richard Rodgers
Hello Dolly Jerry Herman / Aint She Sweet
Selections from Les Miserable
Lloyd-Weber - Gumbie Cat & Memory from Cats
Selections from Phantom of the Opera

Jazz
Latin
Chick Corea Armando's Rumba
Jobim Girl from Ipanema
How Insensitive
One Note samba
Standards, Ballads, Swing
My Baby Just Cares Nina Simone
Fascination Nat King Cole
Fly Me To the moon & My Way Sinatra
All of Me Simone & Marks
Joy Spring Clifford Brown
Georgia Hoagy Carmichael
The Shadow of Your Smile J Mandel
Autumn Leaves Joseph Kosma & Jonny Mercer
Misty Errol Garner
Moon River Mancini,H
Ain’t Misbehavin’ - Fats Waller & Harry Brooks
Lullaby of Birdland - G Shearing
Black Orpheus- Louis Bonfi
It Dont Mean a Thing D Ellington
Sweet Georgia Brown Bernie, Pinkard & Casey
Blue Moon Rodgers & Hart
Chattanooga Choo choo Glenn Miller
A Train Billy Strayhorn
Ive Got You Under my Skin C Porter
New York New York J Kander
Mack the Knife Kurt Weill
Someday my Prince will come Frank Churchill-Larry Morey
Take Five Paul Desmond
It Had to be You Isham Jones
Pennies from Heaven A Johnson
Blues in the Night Mercer Arlen
Cant Take my Eyes off you Bob Crewe Bob Gaudio
A night in Tunisia D Gillespie
As time goes by H Hopfled
Watermelon Man Herbie Hancock
Reinhart / Grappelli
Les Valseuses
Minor Swing
Django
Gershwin
Summertime
Foggy Day
I've Got Rhythm
Aint Necessarily So.
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" Hi Titia Thank you and Mike again for those unforgettable moments, when you both made a beautiful day even more beautiful! You did it for us on December 18 2003, and now again on December 28 2011. And we wait for more!! Why not in Gabon? Tony and I and the children are leaving for Malaysia tomorrow. I will, however, keep these details in file for use during our next visit. Thank you both again for the wonderful music on the 28th December. Shyam and Alvin say 'to just say thank you to the both of you seems not to be enough!"
Leela & Tony Horvath - on their daughters Wedding, 28th December 2011



" On behalf of Nicola and myself, I would just like to give a few words of thanks to you all. Arranging a wedding is a complicated and sometimes stressful thing to do, seemingly more so when the wedding takes place in another country. However from the moment we first made contact with you we were overwhelmed with the level of support and assistance offered at all stages. From the moment that we met you all we were instantly at ease knowing that our big day was in expert hands. Titia, Palm Strings were everything I hoped for and more when I first contacted you, especially learning a new song, one that was important to us both, and so brilliantly played. Once again our sincere thanks for all your efforts, and also for the friendly approachable manner in which you go about your business. "
Cindy & Sydney Wentink

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NB; We are prepared to accommodate special requests given sufficient time.



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