Whether separately or as a duo, Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp are beguiling musicians. This time around, with Songs of the Southern Skies Volume 2, the pair are celebrating (mostly) women’s contributions to the rich catalogue of Australian song and instrumental compositions.
Beginning with Missy Higgins’ ‘Cooling of the Embers’, through songs by, among others Clare Bowditch, Sia, Kate Ceberano, Aunty Ruby Hunter, Deborah Conway, Sarah Blasko and Noonan’s own ‘Gratitude’, this concert is a personal tribute by both artists to events and people in their lives, and to their long-standing close friendship, forged in music, parenthood, relationships and grief.
Schaupp has two solo spots – the first, ‘Dreamscape’, was written by her own 19-year-old guitar student Tara Lynam, who went on to win First Prize in the Teen Composition section of the Music International Grand Prix. ‘Dreamscape’ highlights Schaupp’s brilliant technique and delicacy of touch and feeling, always present in her accompaniment of Noonan, whose perfect vocal technique and musicality soar effortlessly around the arrangements by Richard Charlton.
The Melbourne Recital Centre’s exquisite concert hall, with its wonderful acoustics resonating off the warm, sculpted wood panelling that surrounds performers and audience, is the perfect venue for these two musicians. Beautiful, comfortable and perfectly designed to showcase the works we are hearing.
Noonan and Schaupp sit on chairs, sconces and microphones in place, and just chat and sing – all about why they chose this set of songs, who wrote them, with personal anecdotes along the way. Both performers are witty and dry and funny telling these tales. There are lots of laughs in between the joy of hearing the music. It’s completely relaxed and unpretentious.
Schaupp’s second solo, in part two, is Mary Doumany’s ‘If Penguins Could Talk’, written specially to change the tempo from the contemplative songs we have been hearing up to this point.
We are also treated to a fond tribute to Olivia Newton-John with ‘Xanadu’ (“a terrible film but a great score,” says Noonan) and a guest appearance by a 50-strong local Melbourne group, the Pitchface Choir, whose dress rule is “wear denim and red earrings”.
At each venue Songs of the Southern Skies plays, a guest choir from each community has been invited to be backing singers.
It is good to see and hear Pitchface, and this reviewer would have liked them to accompany more than the one song, although understandably wrangling the logistics may have been challenging.
After an evening of warmth, humour and superb musicianship, one of the last songs gives the audience a chance to join in, which they do, enthusiastically.
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This is a great concert by two world-class Australian women, sharing stories about everyday, universal feelings and experiences, in heartfelt songs and sublime music.
Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp: Songs of the Southern Skies Volume 2 was performed at the Melbourne Recital Centre on 4 April 2025, with a guest appearance by Pitchface Choir.
Noonan and Schaupp will be touring to Woollongong on 9 April, Chatswood on 10 April, Blue Mountains on 11 April, Lake Macquarie on 12 April and Wyong on 13 April.
