For this second concert in Perth Festival’s Sanctum Series at St Mary’s Cathedral, East Clare fiddler Martin Hayes and New York guitarist Kyle Sanna transform the neo-Gothic nave into something between a country kitchen session and a contemplative vigil. 

Before Hayes takes the stage, local fiddler Robert Zielinski and flautist Manuela Centanni offer a compelling, ambient set evoking the magical landscapes of Minang Noongar country. Those familiar with Zielinski’s brilliant award-winning Kiangardarup – The Torbay Suite, will know the mesmerising effect of his music – and his and Centanni’s superlative playing. It is a fitting curtain-raiser, grounding the evening in Western Australia even as Hayes proceeds to transport us to the green hills of County Clare. 

Martin Hayes. Photo © Laura San Segundo

Despite a short break for setup, Hayes’ opening air feels like a seamless transition, the fiddler drawing each phrase out in long, suspended breaths that hang in the vaulted ceiling before flying up to heaven. His tone is distinctive – lean but warm, vibrato used sparingly and always in the service of expression rather than display. Judicious audio and the cathedral’s generous natural acoustic lend these...