Katie Noonan is arguably a household name in Australia. Thanks to an armful of ARIA awards, chart-topping albums and a voice that can silence audiences, the Brisbane songstress has certainly made her mark on the music biz.

A May 7 concert at Sydney’s City Recital Hall featured Noonan and acclaimed guitarist Karin Schaupp performing songs of the British Isles. With a theme like that, it was anyone’s guess what songs they’d pluck from such an extensive catalogue. Spanning more than 400 years of musical history, the audience was treated to everyone from Henry Purcell to Radiohead. And seriously, when’s the last time you saw those two names on the same program?

I suppose the show’s eclectic nature isn’t such a stretch for a musical chameleon like Noonan, who has been easily – and successfully – moving within jazz, pop and rock circles for the past decade. With a voice so pure and strong, diving into classical territory is a natural fit.

The pairing was a true collaboration, with Schaupp’s guitar licks shining just as brightly as Noonan herself. Her instrumental solo of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was filled with a sound so lush, it paid homage to the original while simultaneously deepening its texture.

The venue itself deserves mention, offering its own acoustic contributions to the mix. Noonan’s pitch perfect vocals seem to come alive, bouncing off the walls and flooding the intimate space, while Schaupp’s chords resonated with such clarity you’d think she was sitting right next to you.

The duo embarked on a musical journey of sorts, moving from classical leanings to folksongs to Celtic tunes to contemporary pop. So while listeners were snug in their seats, they were transported to a British church hall with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Silent Noon” or an Irish pub with a rousing rendition “The Wraggle Taggle Gypsies, O!”

Each masters in their own right, when a pair like Noonan and Schaupp get together the expectations are set pretty high. Judging by their recent Sydney performance, it’s a challenge they met – and then exceeded.