Tauranga tenor Chase Douglas is returning home on a high note to perform in the Bay of Plenty Symphonias' concerts ‘Last Night of the Proms' at Baycourt this weekend.

At 23-years-old Chase has a bulging CV and performance list a mile long, but his latest achievements include receiving a 2013 Maori Excellence Award and graduating with a Bachelor of Music (first class honours) from Waikato University on April 18.

Tauranga-born Chase Douglas is coming home. Photo by Tracy Hardy

The Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar continues to chase his dream of becoming an international artist, by studying a Master degree in classical opera at Waikato, and finding time to perform in between.

'I feel I need this year to grow and develop, as a performer but also as an individual,” says Chase.

Born and bred in Tauranga, Chase began singing at age three.

'It started off in church then I began signing a few Country and Western tunes but it wasn't for me.”

Intermediate school offered musical theatre.

'That is my roots because it got me on stage – and I haven't looked back since.”

He credits a 'trinity of ladies” for his success so far – his mother Cheryl Douglas, aunty Raewyn Douglas and surrogate grandmother Betty Miller.

'Without them I wouldn't be here.”

Performing with Dame Malvina Major at the Te Puna Park Quarry Garden's Opera on the Rocks concert in February 2010, the renowned opera singer began to guide Chase in his training.

'I was about to go to university and my voice was au naturel. She told me ‘your natural ability can only take you so far – training gets you to the top and keeps you there', and I've never forgotten it.”

The biggest challenge in his opera training has been the repertoire – the pieces he has to learn.

'You can learn a song's melody, rhythm and text in your own language but to make it your own takes years – and that is the joy of music.”

Chase says Dame Malvina has taught him that the most successful performers are the most humble. 'They have an inner sense of humility and they are more willing to give than to receive.”

So he is happy to be home this weekend 'where I was manufactured”, for his first local gig since Handel's Messiah in November – but his second time singing with BOP Symphonia.

He teams up with Tauranga soprano Elisha Fa'i-Hulton to bring a selection of Italian opera repertoire while newcomer Yoshiko Tsuruta will perform a solo marimba. The Civic Choir will enhance the slightly bizarre night of entertainment, under the baton of musical director Justus Rozemond, to feature classical music, comedy, audience participation and British patriotism.

‘Last Night of the Proms' is this Saturday, April 13 at 7pm and Sunday, April 14, at 2pm, at Baycourt Centennial Theatre, 38 Durham St. To purchase tickets, visit: www.ticketdirect.co.nz/event/details/70272/last-night-of-the-proms