Drinkall-Baker Duo

THE ROGER DRINKALL-DIAN BAKER DUO

Any two accomplished musicians, given enough rehearsal time, can produce a competent performance. Roger Drinkall and Dian Baker, however, go far beyond the merely competent, rising to a higher plane where technical mastery and a perfect melding of mind and spirit make each performance pure magic.

In the eight years since they formed the Drinkall-Baker Duo, the two musicians have taken that magic to more than six hundred concerts all over the world, garnering critical acclaim and a growing international reputation.

The pair’s approach is unique. They do not regard themselves as soloist and accompanist, but rather as two soloists, a true partnership of two equals. This philosophy brings to their playing a striking unity of thought and execution.

“At times, both piano and cello seemed to merge to become a single entity,” wrote a reviewer in the New Straight Times of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “They played with an intensity and passion that one rarely sees in classical musicians.”

In addition, the duo’s extensive repertoire – ranging from Bach, Beethoven and Chopin to Ginastera, Kodaly and Weill- is entirely memorized, giving them an intimacy with the music and a freedom from the page that is clearly reflected in their playing.

The combination of these qualities means that Drinkall and Baker never merely play it safe. They embrace each piece completely, playing with a sure elegance and verve that opens new vistas.