Bond

Bond a long time coming…

As early as 1980, at both ends of the earth, bond has begun. In Perth, Australia, a five-year-old Haylie Ecker has been given her first violin, and is displaying the kind of nimble-fingered virtuosity which will continue to astound tutors throughout her childhood. A couple of thousand miles across the coast, in Sydney, Tania Davis is being bribed with chewing gum and plastic farmyard animals to practice her first notes on both violin and piano. In Cardiff, Wales, Eos (pronounced Ay-os) is also toying with her first bow. While on the other side of the UK, in Hull, seven-year-old relative late-starter Gay-Yee Westerhoff is eyeing up the piano — although as soon as she is big enough to hold it, she’ll have switched to her favored cello.

bond several years later…

Laden with prestigious trophies picked up almost at will during their musical apprenticeships, the four sexy, sassy and spectacularly gifted young women have each begun to dream of a bigger prize – the re-invention of the classical string quartet. Introduced to each other by legendary concert promoter Mel Bush, the girls begin to share their vision: there will be no stiff bow ties or flowing, black dresses, and neither will the performers sit down in front of reams of sheet music at the mercy of a magisterial conductor. Instead, they will be a breath of complete fresh air – although classical in its instrumental make-up, the quartet will not be constrained by any existing genres or traditions. Symbolizing both their unity and the ambition of their musical aspirations, the four girls give themselves the collective name bond.

bond begins recording a series of mostly original works (composed by, among others, Magnus Fiennes). Standard classical procedures go out of the window as the four brilliant performers enhance the compositions using both well-honed technical skills and innate flair. Their arrangements are laced with tinges of everything from trance and house music to salsa and traditional East European folk songs – the result is dramatic, compelling, sexy and sparklingly original.

Signed by Decca, bond’s mission is universal. Unconstrained by convention, appreciation of their music is international and ageless, requiring no prior knowledge of classical composers, no dress code and no old school snobbery. And as naturally talented and expertly trained performers, bond refine their onstage act behind closed doors, secretly becoming a breathtakingly charismatic live unit.

The hit track “Victory” will reveal bond to the world. Written by prolific Croatian composer Tonci Juljic, “Victory” is a dramatic, explosive debut, featuring a unique combination of musical traces from all five continents. In the Fall of 2000, bond made their debut performance at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London.

bond Stats

Name: Haylie Ecker
bond Skill: First Violin
Age: 24
Impressive Musical Pedigree: Holder of a first-class honors degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Haylie has already played around the world extensively as a soloist, and continues her classical violin career alongside playing with Bond.
Superhero: Nigel Kennedy and Lakatos, the ultimate gypsy violinist
bond Trivia: Loves surfing

Name: Eos
bond Skill: Second Violin
Age: 24
Impressive Musical Pedigree: Eos earned her degree from the Royal College of Music, and has played in front of several Heads of State, including the Queen and former Prime Ministers of Australia and Ireland.
Superhero: Velvet Underground
bond Trivia: Since graduation, Eos has mostly played with pop acts, including The Divine Comedy, Cocteau Twins, and Julian Cope, and has appeared in videos with Gabrielle and Mark Knopfler. She shares here birthday with Mozart. Eos means “nightingale” in Welsh.

Name: Tania Davis
bond Skill: Viola
Age: 24
Impressive Musical Pedigree: Holds a first-class Bachelor of Music honors degree from the Sydney Conservatorium, and has just gained the postgraduate diploma in performance with distinction from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
Superhero: Maxim Vengerov
bond Trivia: Appropriately, her name means “strength of ten” in Russian.

Name: Gay-Yee Westeroff
bond Skill: Cello
Age: 28
Impressive Musical Pedigree: Attended the Trinity College of Music in London.
Superhero: Bassist Carol Kaye, who has played with artists such as Elvis, Burt Bacharach, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and Stevie Wonder.
bond Trivia: Gay-Yee has played cello with artists such as Primal Scream, Spice Girls, Talvin Singh, Embrace, Sting, Bryan Adams and Barry Manilow, as well as being an accomplished bass player.