BREW Guitar Duo
Described by the Victorian Classical Guitar Society as ‘a significant addition to the guitar landscape in Australia,’ the BREW Guitar Duo has delighted audiences all over the country with its impeccable ensemble skills and captivating stage presence. Based in Canberra, Australia, Matthew Withers and Bradley Kunda also comprise one-half of Australia’s leading guitar quartet, Guitar Trek, which for over two decades has pioneered new repertoire for the guitar family under the leadership of Professor Timothy Kain.
Brew Guitar Duo’s second self-released album Landscape: Australian Guitar Duets has recently been received with great acclaim as the Featured Recording in ABC Limelight Magazine. It comprises all Australian guitar duo works, many of which have been commissioned, arranged or composed by the duo itself. Their debut album Songs and Dances was released in 2009, featuring a blend of Spanish and Latin American classics as well as arrangements of popular contemporary favourites.
Over the past nine years the duo has performed widely throughout Australia, giving concerts for the Canberra Classical Guitar Society, Sydney Guitar Society, Queensland Guitar Society, Victorian Classical Guitar Society and Darwin International Guitar Festival. In 2009 the duo gave a concert as part of ABC Classic FM’s Sunday Live radio broadcast series from Llewellyn Hall in Canberra. They are frequently heard on ABC Classic FM’s Classic Drive program with Julia Lester and have been featured on ABC Radio’s Australia All Over program. The duo was profiled on the ACT edition of Stateline on ABC TV in September 2008 and again in 2009. Their performance at the 2007 Sydney Guitar Society’s annual Summer School received the following praise: ‘An air of enjoyment motivated the performers and was transmitted to an appreciative audience’ (Fred Blanks, North Shore Times).
In 2006, the duo placed first in both the ‘Instrumental Duo’ and ‘Chamber Music with Guitar’ divisions of the Sydney Cultural Council’s McDonald’s Performing Arts Challenge (formerly Sydney Eisteddfod).
The BREW Guitar Duo prides itself on featuring new Australian music in its programs. In 2008 the duo commissioned a seven-movement work by Australian composer Richard Charlton. In 2009 the duo worked in conjunction with notable Australian composer Robert Davidson to arrange a guitar duet of one of his works. This composition, entitled Landscape, is the title track on the duo’s recent album Landscape: Australian Guitar Duets. In addition, the disc includes specially written works by young Australian composers including Canberra guitarist Harold Gretton and the duo’s very own Bradley Kunda.
