FOR the past few years, a local father and daughter have been putting their familial bond and mutual love of music on display throughout town.<\/p>\n
Playing shows as Freya and Tom McGowan, the duo\u2019s drive to perform together came about following the pandemic, but 13-year-old vocalist Freya said a passion for music has long been a shared passion around the household.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d always have music playing or dad would be playing guitar around the house so we\u2019d talk about playing music while driving to school,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The duo first performed live together in 2017, and Freya added playing alongside her dad has given her much-appreciated experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been great to have the opportunity to busk and play at markets,\u201d she said. \u201cOur festival shows have been especially good because they\u2019ve opened up so many opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
A lifelong singer, Freya has been taking vocal lessons since she was six and has been performing with the Ballarat Centre for Music and the Arts for around the same time.<\/p>\n
Beginning with gigs at the Creswick Market, the pair have since performed in everything from busking to festivals like CresFest and Maldon Folk Festival.<\/p>\n
For her guitarist father Tom, who\u2019s been playing in bands since the mid-1990s, performing alongside his daughter has offered a unique and cherished experience to what he\u2019s been used to.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would play at a lot of venues at night of course, the typical gig setting, but with Freya it\u2019s been a different route with lots of community events and markets,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a beautiful thing as a parent. I know Freya\u2019s not going to stay the same age forever so to have the opportunity to do this feels like a real gift.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a wonderful, fun, upbeat thing. Because of that family connection, it makes everything that much easier.\u201d<\/p>\n
As well as a handful of original songs written together, the duo primarily performs folk and acoustic covers of songs from acts like David Bowie, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Joni Mitchell.<\/p>\n
Having seen out last year with nearly 50 shows, including their 100th live performance held last month at Kilderkin Distillery, the pair are looking to push their act further for 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d love to do some recording this year and get some things on some streaming platforms and do some more writing together,\u201d Tom said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we can even do an interstate show or a small tour. So far, we\u2019ve just been playing in Victoria.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freya and Tom McGowan will next perform at the Newstead Live Music Festival, playing four shows on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 January.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOR the past few years, a local father and daughter have been putting their familial bond and mutual love of music on display throughout town. Playing shows as Freya and Tom McGowan, the duo\u2019s drive to perform together came about following the pandemic, but 13-year-old vocalist Freya said a passion for music has long been […]<\/p>\n