Italian Piano Duo Launches Its Australasian Tour in Gunning

Young Italian pianists Gioia Barbera and Federico Bucaioni, playing as Duo Mimesi, opened their first Australasian tour with a powerful and impressive performance of pieces for four hands by Schubert, Poulenc and Rachmaninov at the recent Gunning Focus Group (GFG) concert in the Courtroom.

Gioia and Federico were delightful and engaging performers.  Just in the very early stages of their careers, they showed they are serious heavy-duty classical musicians who deserve to achieve great professional success.   Their performance was applauded loudly and at length.

GFG is especially grateful to Susan and Grant Ferry of Aaida on Warrataw for accommodating our visitors in their character-filled holiday rental.  The couple’s stay included a special morning safari down the Collector Road for Federico, during which he was blown away to see seven kangaroos and a ewe giving birth to a new lamb.

Gunning loved them.  And the feeling was reciprocated.  The duo wrote to GFG the following day to say:

“We were welcomed with incredible warmth and immediately felt at home.  During our stay in Gunning, we had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful people, including Bob, Rosemary, and Jacqueline, as well as Susan and Grant, an extraordinary couple who so generously welcomed us into their home. We feel incredibly fortunate to have met them and to have discovered this hidden gem of an Australian town.

Gunning captivated us with its delicious food, its unmatched hospitality, and the kindness of its people.  We were also deeply impressed by the magnificent acoustics of the Courtroom: the sound flowed so naturally through the space, and the piano was in superb condition and impeccably cared for, allowing us to perform at our very best.

We sincerely hope we will have the opportunity to return one day.  As we leave, we take with us unforgettable memories, and we leave a piece of our hearts in this beautiful corner of Australia.”

Duo Mimesi’s visit was a very happy and memorable one for all of us involved in making it happen.  We very much hope to see them back, recognised as international artists of note.