Wymondham Abbey

Wymondham Abbey

In this usually tranquil setting one might not be tempted to add a drumshop's-worth of percussion and two young men with an unnaturally energetic enthusiasm.

Owen Gunnell and Oliver Cox bounded in and wasted no time in enlivening the Wymondham Festival audience with a 'stomping' display of percussive exuberance.

The more restful duet arrangements of classical keyboard works by Bach, Mendelssohn and Ravel were surprisingly refreshing to hear on the marimbas; Chopin's Fantasie Impromtu, arranged for marimba and vibraphone, had such a lyrically moving quality as to leave us never wanting to hear it on the piano again.

And never have I been so amazed by an encore. Chopin's Minute Waltz became an acrobatic display.

Always sounding smooth and seemless, this pair managed to match great skill with an ability to captivate all within earshot. O Duo is the embodiment of pure sparkling entertainment at its best.