BY LILY BRYANT
we are breathing (Connor D’Netto and Ben Baker) with Kieran Welch and Loni Fitzpatrick
Simply for Strings, 14 August
The first show of we are breathing’s debut Australian tour was originally planned as an immersive night in the depths of Spring Hill Reservoirs. Instead, the musicians provided an intimate night in a refurbished church, complete with music that was tender, vulnerable, and expressive.
While it may not have been the venue the duo (Connor D’Netto and Ben Baker) had in mind, the church-turned-music store Simply for Strings set the scene for a beautiful show. There’s something particularly charming about watching live music with violins hanging from the walls, and it was easily forgotten the show was ever meant to take place elsewhere (although this may have been helped by the free wine and cheese).
The duo was formed into a collective with the addition of two more performers – equally impressive. First to the stage was Loni Fitzpatrick, whose harp, vocals, and electronics set suited the room beautifully. Her pre-emptive apology about being new to the technology was unnecessary, as she delivered some very personal and very mesmerising originals. Despite some balance issues, her gentle voice set the tone for a night of captivating music.
Next was local violist Kieran Welch, who not only delivered a diverse and fascinating program, but throughout every piece demonstrated an artistic conviction that was a joy to witness. The highlight of Kieran’s playing was his expressive and engaging performance of Nico Muhly’s Keep in Touch for viola and electronics. He prefaced it with an explanation of what the work means to him through its celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community – and his interpretation was not only skilful, but beautifully vulnerable. Although similar balance issues prevailed when Loni joined him to provide vocals for a piece by Missy Mazzoli, Kieran’s set was a pleasure to watch.
The technical changes between each performer meant a lot of downtime, but also by the quality of the final set from we are breathing. Between their four originals, this duo displayed exactly what was promised; richness, tenderness, and virtuosity. Most exciting was the connection and communication between both performers – they seemed to react to each other in a way that was organic and spontaneous, unifying a disparate set of sounds. Cellist Ben Baker in particular had a compelling stage presence, almost looking bashful at the end of each piece when he transitioned back to reality.
Their entire set demonstrated the duo’s unique approach to music, with huge variety in texture and colour. This was best displayed in a piece based entirely on a cello riff written by Ben, and subsequently worked on by Connor, prior to collaborating as a new music duo. It was interesting to witness how the relationship between the two performers had developed, and was an authentic example of the combination of cello and electronics.
Their most tender and vulnerable display came from a piece that literally sampled a private opinion from one of their friends about finding ‘the one’. This spoken word seemed so innocent and human, and accompanied by virtuosic playing and intricate textures, became a moving experience.
The night presented a series of performances that, despite all being very different, were held together with a unifying thread of vulnerability, tenderness, and beautiful musicianship.
READ NEXT: Lily interviews Connor and Ben about we are breathing.
Images supplied. Credit: Simply for Strings.
