Gassenhauer
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Thursday, 30 Apr 2026
11:00 am
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Wesley Music Centre
20-22 National Circuit, Forrest, ACT 2603
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In Association with
Classical virtuosity meets the irresistible pull of a hit song
Popular music and street songs have evolved dramatically across eras and cultures. In Gassenhauer, we traverse continents and centuries to bring you a program of pop tunes in art-music settings, performed by the electrifying Ensemble Liaison.
Gassenhauer translates loosely from German as a popular street song or ‘hit’. In the 1700s that included a Viennese earworm from Joseph Weigl’s opera L’amor Marinaro, which Beethoven famously reimagined in his Trio Op. 11.
‘Pop and classical music in thrilling and witty conversation’
Ensemble Liaison continues their journey through time with Manuel de Falla’s Popular Songs and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, first unveiled in the landmark 1924 concert An Experiment in Modern Music. Gershwin’s jazz-inflected masterpiece has since become a cultural icon, appearing in films and television from Manhattan and Fantasia to The Great Gatsby, The Simpsons, Family Guy and even Gremlins 2.
The program also features Nat Bartsch’s pristine arrangement of Kate Ceberano’s Bedroom Eyes, the highest-selling Australian single of 1989.
Ensemble Liaison’s clarinet-cello-piano combination provides a vibrant through line before they are joined on stage by special guests James Crabb (classical accordion) and Lina Tur Bonet (violin). Together they offer a morning of pure Gassenhauer: playful, upbeat and melody-forward works that remain timeless hits.
‘For the jazz-curious and film-score fans’
Artists
Ensemble Liaison
Lina Tur Bonet violin
James Crabb classical accordion
Program
Beethoven Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano op.11
Kate Ceberano (arr. Nat Bartsch) Bedroom Eyes
De Falla Popular Songs
El paño moruno
Nana
Polo
Canción
Asturiana
Jota
Gershwin (arr. David Griffiths / Timothy Young) Rhapsody in Blue
This concert is generously supported by Elspeth & Graham Humphries and Andrew Blanckensee.
Duration: 60 min, no interval
Photo credit: Laura Manariti
ARTIST Learn more about the artist
Artist Lina Tur Bonet
Internationally acclaimed for her virtuosity (Fiery virtuoso THE STRAD, True Devil’s Violinist BAYERISCHE RUNDFUNK, Superbement joué DIAPASON, Echte Virtuosin RONDO), her uncommon musicality (honest and heartfelt music-making GRAMOPHONE, the violinist of the soul SANKEI SHINBUN), her blend of creativity (great ornamental skills, true fire of art CLASSICA), energy (Lina shines SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE), and stylistic rigor (strong historical playfulness RONDO, extended colour palette, a finely constructed rhetoric CLASSICA), Lina Tur Bonet has developed a versatile and unique career as a violinist and conductor.
From a very young age, Lina worked in world-class ensembles under the batons of Abbado, Gardiner, Harding, Minkowski, Christie, Currentzis, Gatti, Marriner, Nagano, Biondi, Dantone, Goebel, Egarr, and Carmignola, and shared the stage in chamber music with Zacharias, Pressler, de Figueiredo, Onofri, and Kossenko, appearing at the Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, Bunkamura Hall, the London Proms, and the Berliner Philharmonie.
She is the concertmaster of Le Concert des Nations with Jordi Savall and has led Il Complesso Barocco, Liceu de Barcelona, Concerto Köln, Hofkapelle Munich, Orchestre d’Auvergne, ONE, and many others.
Lina conducts regularly Tafelmusik Toronto, Barokkanerne Oslo, Orchestre de Chambre Toulouse, Barroca de Sevilla, Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra, Camerata Villa Musica Mainz, Haydn Philharmonie Eisenstadt, Ciudad de Granada, and Recreation Styriarte Graz.
Lina has toured as a soloist worldwide, appearing at the Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie St. Petersburg, Potsdamer Festival, Trigonale Klagenfurt, Bachfest Leipzig, Potsdamer Festspiele, Musashino Hall Tokyo, Israel, NYC, Montreal Baroque, Musikverein, Konzerthaus Wien, and more.
Her 18 solo CDs have been chosen as Best Version by the BBC, Reference for Gramophone, Best Version for Radio France Musique and Scherzo, and Recommended by German radio stations, earning several Diapason d’Or, E for Scherzo, R for Rhythm, and Melómano d’Or, Choc de Classica. Joker by Crescendo, 5* Rondo, 10* Luister, Opus Klassik and ICMA nominations. Her Ravel recording was Best CD of the Year in Japan.
Tur Bonet holds the position of professor of Baroque violin and viola at the MHS Franz Liszt Weimar.
Photo credit: Michal Novak
Lina is supported by 
Artist Ensemble Liaison
Described by Limelight magazine as a ‘national treasure’, Ensemble Liaison is one of Australia’s leading internationally acclaimed ensembles. The Ensemble was founded in 2007 by David Griffiths (clarinet) Svetlana Bogosavljević (cello) and Timothy Young (piano) who each have leading reputations as solo instrumentalists on an international level. They presented their first concert series at The Edge, Melbourne, in 2007 and have become known as a tour de force, recognised for imaginative and innovative programming, setting the trend for brilliant collaborations with leading artists.
In addition to being co-presented by the Melbourne Recital Centre for 15 years, Ensemble Liaison have appeared at the nation’s premier festivals including the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Port Fairy and Woodend Winter Arts Festivals. For their 20th Anniversary season they were featured as part of the Live At Yours Series in both Sydney and Melbourne.
Further afield the Ensemble have toured New Zealand for Chamber Music NZ and in 2012 gave a series of festival performances in Central Europe. In 2021 they appeared at the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, Texas and as a global featured artist at the International ClarinetFest from Fort Worth Texas. Next season they look forward to appearances at the Mahler Festival in Austria and the Ravanelius Festival in Serbia.
The creation of new works is also a priority for Ensemble Liaison, with commissions by Paul Stanhope, Paul Grabowsky, John Novacek, Ian Munro, Gordon Kerry, Tony Gould, Stuart Greenbaum, Elena Kats-Chernin, Jane Hammond, Michael Dooley, Aleksandar Sedlar, Mark Viggiani and Mary Finsterer. Countless arrangements by the trio have also formed an integral part of their programming and artistic vision.
Ensemble Liaison have released 6 internationally acclaimed recordings including the 2024 release of ‘Crossing Paths’ (MOVE Records). They have also recorded with Melba Recordings, Tall Poppies, ABC Classics labels, as well as their own highly successful EL Records. And, they are firm broadcast favourites with ABC Classic and 3MBS.
Photo credit: Laura Manariti
Artist James Crabb
Scottish born James Crabb is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading classical accordionists. He studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen with accordion pioneer Mogens Ellegaard, became professor there from 1995 until 2010, and was awarded the prestigious Carl Nielsen Music Prize, Denmark in 1991. He also held a long-standing guest professorship at the University in Graz, Austria.
James has collaborated with many of the most important 20th and 21st century composers including Sofia Gubaidulina, Thomas Adès, Harrison Birtwistle, Sally Beamish, Luciano Berio and has premiered countless concertos, chamber music and solo works dedicated to him. Recognised internationally as an authority on the music of Astor Piazzolla he was invited to curate the inaugural Piazzolla Festival in Buenos Aires in 2016. James has given the world premiere of Brett Dean’s accordion concerto The Players in Sweden, (recorded on the BIS label) and featured in the on-stage role in Dean’s opera Hamlet with Glyndebourne Opera, Cologne Opera, the Bavarian State Opera, Munich, at Adelaide Festival and for Opera Australia. Recent and upcoming projects include returns to the ACO, the AFCM, the UK for performances, including at Wigmore Hall, with Anthony Marwood and recitals at numerous music festivals around Australia.
James is a passionate and sought-after music educator and mentor, and whilst Artistic Director of the Four Winds Festival in Bermagui, curated both the Easter and inaugural Youth Festivals and developed the local school’s music education program.
Photo credit: Christoffer Askman