Summer Concerts | Sunday Classical Cellissimo!
Description
Early Bird tickets end 25 December 2025. What a perfect Christmas present for a music lover and culture seeker! Book now to reserve your seat online. You can select your seat! A selection of drinks, and delicious interval refreshments are available.
Our 2026 Summer Concerts
Friday 16 January, 7–8:30 pm – Folk & Originals
Guest cellist Rachel Johnston joins our 2026 Summer Retreat Artists for an evening blending traditional Irish reels, classic tunes like Greensleeves, and new works by Ailbhe McDonagh, Daniel Delaney, Jeremy Crosmer, and Kaitlyn Raitz. The second half features headline duo Those Folk with special cello cameos, celebrating the meeting of folk, contemporary music, and cello artistry.
Saturday 17 January, 7–8:30 pm – Tango & Baroque
Louise King, pianist Cara Tran (Tango Enigmatico), and our 2026 Summer Retreat Artists explore the vibrant connection between movement and music. From the refined elegance of Baroque masters J.S. Bach and Michel Corrette to the fiery rhythms of Piazzolla, De Falla, Ginastera, and La Cumparsita, the program also includes works by Ailbhe McDonagh, featuring solos, duos, trios, and cello quartets with piano that celebrate the cello’s expressive range across centuries and cultures.
Sunday 18 January, 3:30–5 pm – Classical Cellissimo!
International master cellists György Déri, Rachel Johnston, and Louise King lead a grand finale of the 2026 Summer Retreat. Masterclass Artists perform virtuosic works and our 2026 faculty perform works by Ross Edwards, Tormod Tvete Vik, Gaspar Cassadó, and Weber, while the Retreat Cello Choir presents Vivaldi, Goltermann, Piazzolla, Karl Jenkins, Andrea Rellini, and a world premiere from the 2026 Call for Scores campaign, culminating in a thrilling ensemble finale.
Concert 3: Sunday 18 January 3:30pm Classical Cellissimo!
Featuring our Retreat Cello Choir with a diverse program including a world premiere, György Déri (Senior Lecturer, QCGU), Rachel Johnston (former ASQ Tank Stream Quartet, crossover recording artist), Louise King (Cello Dreaming, Muses Trio, Long Listen Festival) and Julia Janiszewski (Retreat Faculty) in a program of classical favourites. Our 2026 Masterclass Artists Louise Yabsley (Canberra) and Karen Cortez (Sydney) will also feature in virtuosic works for cello.
Our Program
Retreat Masterclass Artists
Elgar Concerto in E minor 1st mvt - Nicholas Penton (Masterclass Artist) with Lisa Pirlo piano (Retreat Accompanist)
Haydn Concerto in C major 1st mvt - Louise Yabsley (Masterclass Artist) with Lisa Pirlo piano (Retreat Accompanist)
Schumann Adagio Op. 70 - Alvina Yan (Masterclass Artist age 15) with Lisa Pirlo piano (Retreat Accompanist)
Haydn Concerto in C major 3rd mvt by Haydn - Karen Cortez (Masterclass Artist) with Lisa Pirlo piano (Retreat Accompanist)
Faculty & Duo Performances
Ecstatic Dances by Ross Edwards, arranged for two cellos by Julia Janiszewski - Louise Yabsley & Julia Janiszewski
Koral & Vocalise by Tormod Tvete Vik - Louise King (Vc 1), Julia Janiszewski (Vc 2), György Déri (Vc 3), Rachel Johnston (Vc 4)
Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi by Gaspar Cassadó - György Déri (cello) & Lisa Pirlo (piano)
Adagio and Rondo by Weber - György Déri (cello) & Lisa Pirlo (piano)
Interval
Retreat Cello Choir
Nell’altra Stanza by Andrea Rellini
Religioso & Nocturne op.53 by Goltermann, arr. Paul Wood
New Work ‘Driftlight’ by Gaba Wright (Sydney AUS) World Premiere from the 2026 Call for Scores Campaign
Benedictus from The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins, arr. Lynne Backstrom
Concerto for Two Cellos in G minor by Vivaldi, arr. Sheryl Smith
Libertango by Piazzolla, arr. Nick Halsey
Encore! Paradise by Coldplay, arr. Justin Zhao
Our Concert Artists
Retreat Faculty
Louise King (Retreat Artistic Director, Cello Dreaming, Muses Trio, Long Listen Festival and ABC Classics recording artist. Graduate of Royal College and Royal Northern College of Music, UK, former member of BBC Philharmonic, Halle Orchestra and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra)
Rachel Johnston (former member of the Australian String Quartet and Tankstream Quartet, graduate of Juilliard School, London University, and Canterbury University (NZ), ABC Classics and Move Records Artist and non-classical contemporary genre specialist)
Julia Janiszewski (Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Strings Teacher, Environmental Scientist
Viva la Cello! Our fourth Summer Concerts 2026 will be held at Eudlo Hall from 16-18 January, presenting three concerts for local and visiting audiences that celebrate the diversity and beauty of the cello featuring guest artists from across the world.
Expect innovation, excitement, surprise, passion and remarkable music fit for any world stage. Curated by a cellist, for cello lovers, The vision? Cello utopia!
This is a brave and bold summer concert series, unique to Australia. Concerts that shine a spotlight on the cello, and provide a regional stage for our homegrown and international guest artists who cross musical boundaries, innovate and inspire audiences. Summer Concerts that catapult our next gen of Australian cellists to a sublime level of artistic freedom.
2026 Summer Concerts will feature special guest artists in concert, performing three diverse programs.
Friday 16 Jan 7pm, Folk and Originals
Saturday 17 Jan 7pm, Baroque and Tango
Sunday 18 Jan 3:30pm Classical Cellissimo!
Friday’s guest artists are Rachel Johnston (cello) visiting us on retreat from Majors Creek, near Canberra ACT. Rachel is one of Australia’s most versatile classical and multi-genre cellists, renowned for her work with the Australian String Quartet, collaborations with leading artists across classical and contemporary music, and her award-winning recording career. Headlining in the second half are Those Folk, a husband & wife musical duo of songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, Lawrence Menard and Clare Quinn performing original music from their latest album ‘Life Inside A Box’.
Friday’s evening concert blends traditional folk, contemporary compositions, and original works. Experience Irish reels, classic tunes like Greensleeves reworked for cello quartet, and new works by living composer-cellists from around the world, Ailbhe McDonagh, Daniel Delaney, Jeremy Crosmer, and Kaitlyn Raitz, performed by our 2026 Summer Retreat Artists Louise King, Francesca Masel, Rachel Johnston, and Julia Janiszewski. The second half features headline band Those Folk, with cello cameos from Rachel and Louise joining Clare and Lawrence on stage.
Saturday’s evening concert brings together Louise King (Cello Dreaming), pianist Cara Tran (Tango Enigmatico), and our 2026 Summer Retreat Artists for a program exploring the deep connection between movement and music, from the elegance of Baroque masters J.S. Bach and Michel Corrette from the elegance of the French court to the rhythmic fire of Tango and Milonga by Piazzolla, De Falla, Ginastera, Jacob Gade (Jalousie), and Gerardo Matos Rodríguez (La Cumparsita). Featuring works by Irish composer-cellist Ailbhe McDonagh and a vibrant mix of solos, duos, trios, and quartets, this concert showcases the expressive range of the cello and its enduring ties to dance across cultures and centuries.
Sunday’s afternoon concert features international master cellists György Déri (Senior Lecturer, QCGU), Rachel Johnston (former ASQ Tank Stream Quartet, crossover recording artist), and Louise King (Cello Dreaming, Muses Trio, Long Listen Festival) in a program of classical favourites. Our 2026 Masterclass Artists perform virtuosic works polished in our retreat and the concert includes a captivating program of music performed by our faculty by Ross Edwards, Tormod Tvete Vik, Gaspar Cassadó, and Weber, while the Retreat Cello Choir presents pieces by Vivaldi, Goltermann, Piazzolla, Karl Jenkins famous Benedictus from The Armed Man, and contemporary Italian composer Andrea Rellini with a world premiere from our 2026 Call for Scores Campaign culminating in a thrilling cello choir ensemble finale.
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