Who: Brian Jackson

What: Last Night of the Proms

With: The NAO, Arcady Choir, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Brygue

When: Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Hamilton Place, Great Hall

Cost: $25, senior $20, student $10

Call: 905-525-7664

Blimey, mate. It's more than a bit of Blighty at the Brott Festival. It's a blooming British invasion.

And it begins this Saturday when British-bred conductor Brian Jackson leads the National Academy Orchestra in a Last Night of the Proms concert in Hamilton Place's Great Hall.

Jackson has programmed a goodly amount of coronation music in the first half such as Handel's Zadok the Priest, which will be sung by Arcady, and Walton's Coronation March. However, there'll be CanCon aplenty with Canadian-British composer Robert Farnon's State Occasion, written for Elizabeth II's coronation, as well as his orchestral suite from Anne of Green Gables. Jackson will be at the ivories as Martin MacDonald waves his baton for Vancouver-based composer Michael Conway Baker's Through the Lions' Gate. The first half will come to a booming end with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

"Last night is always this traditional rah-rah stuff. I want people to come and have fun," said Jackson. So, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders will kick off the second half, and Jackson and company will join them on Amazing Grace. And there'll be scads of traditional Last Night fare such as Sir Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs. Also appearing on the bill will be Brygue, a Toronto based Celtic group led by MacDonald's brother, Dan.

The British invasion continues on Sunday at 3 p.m. when the Toronto based Hannaford Street Silver Band gives a High Tea at the Gardens: Big, British & Brass concert at the Royal Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Rd. W., Burlington.

After the requisite national anthems, the lads and lasses will delve into music by Holst, Sullivan, and others. In the second half, the Hannafords will sport their proverbial rose-coloured glasses for a nostalgic "View of the Empire."

Och, there'll be tunes from Scotland as well as traditional music from some former colonies. Tickets are $40, senior $35, and student $20. The price includes finger sandwiches, tarts, strawberries, and tea, which will be served at intermission under the RBG's Rose Garden tent.

There's even a British connection to the Brott Festival's Russian Rhapsody concert on Wednesday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Melrose United, 86 Homewood Ave. Performing Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody will be British-born pianist Valerie Tryon.

"I've played it many times when I was living in England," said Tryon from her Ancaster home. "It's very tricky. You've got to be so alert the whole time. There's no where really where you can relax at all."

Tickets are $25, senior $20, and student $10.

Relax, the British occupation at the Brott Festival doesn't end there. Remember those scallywags Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon? Haven't heard them for yonks? Peter Brennan and his Jeans 'n' Classics rock revival band will take care of that as they and the NAO recall the heyday of Queen in a concert at Mohawk College's McIntyre Theatre, 135 Fennell Ave. W. on Friday, Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Expect hits such as Another One Bites the Dust and Under Pressure. In the second half, they'll be joined by a choir for We Will Rock You and We are the Champions. Also in the queue, Queen's quintessential opera send-up, Bohemian Rhapsody.

MacDonald and Brott will share podium duties. But what will the normally dapper Brott wear? He doesn't own a pair of jeans, so will he be in his classic white tux jacket and black slacks? Or is there a sequined white jumpsuit with an oversized belt buckle in his wardrobe? We'll have to wait until the night comes down. Tickets are the usual $25, $20, and $10. Cheerio.

Leonard Turnevicius writes on classical music for The Spectator.