Daniel Lapp’s annual Joy of Life concerts feature special guests from near and far along with the young fiddlers of the Old-Time Danceband and the BC Fiddle Orchestra for 2025.
Guests include fiddle orchestra alumni from the past 31 years, members of Folkestra! and the always popular Joy of Life Choir, backed by the mighty Joy of Life House Band, made up of renowned local musicians Rick May on bass, Tyler Lieb on pedal steel/guitar, Danuel Tate on organ/piano and Geoff Hicks on drums.
“This year’s concert will be a very special occasion as we welcome Leeroy Stagger as our guest for the first time. The youth fiddlers are poised and ready to celebrate the launch of a new album with you, entitled Tumbleweed Rag, and the Joy of Life choir has some stellar new songs that will be performed for the first time,” Lapp said in a news release.
"We cherish our annual spring concert that celebrates, through music and community, the gift of being alive."
Stagger is an acclaimed singer-songwriter known for raw, heartfelt lyrics and a sound that blends rock, folk and Americana. With a career spanning over two decades, Stagger has released multiple albums and toured internationally, captivating audiences with his storytelling and rich musicality.
A celebrated Canadian fiddler, trumpeter and mentor, Lapp has also performed worldwide, played on more than 100 albums, and shared the stage with some of the world’s top folk and jazz musicians, including Rickie Lee Jones, Spirit of the West, 54-40, Gord Downie, and Elvis Costello.
The BC Fiddle Orchestra began in 1994 with a small group of talented young violinists from Lapp’s studio, debuting at the Opening Ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games. Since playing for that crowd of 60,000, the orchestra has performed at numerous festivals and events across the province, training dozens of young fiddlers, with many moving on to professional music careers.
Lapp’s annual Joy of Life Concerts return to Alix Goolden Performance Hall at the Victoria Conservatory of Music on April 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Get tickets online at https://www.showpass.com/daniel-lapps-joy-of-life-concerts-2025/.
