O Duo - About

The money we’ve been awarded by the Trust has created a fantastic array of opportunities for us, enabling us to commission a variety of works and actually offer these composers a fee rather than asking for favours all the time! A concerto, in particular, is the most exciting of these, given the lack of such repertoire for percussion duo, and it is great to know that we will be expanding this repertoire, not just for us, but for future performers as well.

The “outrageously talented” (London Evening Standard) British percussionists Owen Gunnell and Oliver Cox formed O Duo in 2000 as students at London’s Royal College of Music. With its unique blend of artistry, imagination, percussive skill and charismatic enthusiasm, O Duo continues to thrill audiences throughout the UK and across the world, along with legions of children who participate in their lively and committed educational projects.

O Duo’s repertoire spans more than 300 years and is an invigorating mix of popular classics and accessible contemporary music played on two marimbas, vibraphone and a huge array of percussion. BBT clearly recognised their mission to expand the percussion duo repertoire by creating a Special Commissioning Award, which supported two new concertos composed for them: Stephen McNeff’s ConcertO Duo with symphony orchestra, and Fraser Trainer’s chamber concerto, Breaking Silence. And before these new works were premiered, BBT also staged a lively showcase performance at the historic Wilton’s Music Hall in London. Determined to Delight is the title of a BBT film featuring the Duo in performance and in a workshop setting with Stephen. In 2018 Toby Kearney joined Owen as the other half of the Duo.

O Duo was supported with a BBT Special Commissioning Award between 2008 and 2013.

For a current biography please visit proartist-ltam.co.uk

Read a blog by O Duo, Making Waves, here

Press Release: Fraser Trainer Breaking Silence

Photographs by Gillian McBain