'That was it for me': The magical moment local duo 'Two If By Sea' found true love through music

The musical and life partners are two halves of the Tableland folky outfit 'Two If By Sea' and are Highland FM's 100 per cent Home-Grown Artists of the Month for March.

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After taking two very different paths in life, Trent running away to join the circus and Rachel playing cello for the Australian String Quartet, the two converged many moons ago through a chance meeting at the National Folk Festival in Canberra.

Relaying the story to Highland FM's Lea Stead, Trent explained how it didn't take much to metaphorically sweep him off his feet.

"We actually met at the National Folk Festival funnily enough, I was looking after a banjo stall of a friend of mine," he said.

"Rachel came along with her cello. She sat down and impressed me with this beautiful piece of music that she sang and played the cello to.

"That was it for me. [We've been a duo] from that moment you could say."

Since then, 'If Two By Sea' have toured around the world and closer to their Major Creek home, just outside Braidwood, charming audiences with their Celtic-Scandinavian folk and bluegrass rhythms.

Just like how they met, the band's name also has an interesting story behind it, having been inspired by events from the American War of Independence.

"I guess you could say there are a number of stories," he revealed.

"The name 'Two If by Sea' comes from the poem 'Paul Revere's Ride' and it's the story of when the English were coming and he rode around telling people how long it was going to take them to get there.

"He said 'one day if by land and two if by sea'. That's where it actually comes from but for us it means a lot of other things.

"We've travelled a lot around the world playing music and meeting and learning from other people. You learn a tune from someone else and then that tune travels around and often it changes as well.

"It's all about how long it takes music to travel around the world and how it changes as it does."

Trent and Rachel will help headline Highland FM's 100 per cent Home-Grown Concert on Friday at the Bowral Bowling Club alongside Southern Highlands' band Speed Dial and Kiama's The Water Runners.

In addition to some moving melodies, the audience could also be in store for an impressive display of telepathy.

"There's definitely a bit of telepathic communication going on," Trent said.

"Obviously we do sit down and rehearse things. It's funny, often Rachel will come out with an idea when she's forgotten what it is she's supposed to be doing. It's completely different and it's just amazing.

"It's such a pleasure to play with her."

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