This side of the Tasman

IN TRANSIT: Pianist Tony Lin and violinist Christina Lieberwirth-Morris are The Tasman Ensemble and will perform in Gisborne next week. “We liked the idea of a train station for the picture because we feel for us, music making is always transient, always exchanging ideas,” says Lin. Picture by Cyrus Allyar

by Mark Peters

The Tasman Sea separates New Zealand and Australia and it is from that body of water New Zealand pianist Tony Lin and Australian violinist Christina Lieberwirth-Morris take their name: The Tasman Ensemble.

The two musicians met at the Freiburg Music University in Germany, where they have studied for many years and this year announced themselves as a duo: The Tasman Ensemble.

“We approach music in the same way,” says Lin.

“We ask a lot of questions and experiment a lot with different things to keep it fresh. We agree on a lot of things but we also bring a lot of individual ideas to our ensemble.”

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The duo’s programme includes works by Mozart, Beethoven and Handel as well as a sonata by Hungarian composer Leo Weiner.

“Weiner is not such a well known composer this side of the world,” says Lin.

“He was a contemporary of Bela Bartok but his music is more in the style of the late Romantic period — more like Beethoven and Strauss but equally as beautiful.

“Bartok was more radical while Weiner looked back.”

The Tasman Ensemble’s presentation of Weiner’s sonata is very likely the first time the Hungarian’s work has been performed here, says Lin.

“The Mozart and Beethoven works are similar in style — they both belong to the classical tradition — but it’s a point of interest how their language differs. Mozart has matured while Beethoven is still experimenting.”

The duo will also perform Handel’s Sonata for Violin and Basso continuo in D major, a Baroque work. The sonata was written for violin and “continuous bass” which is usually played on bass instruments such as cello or bassoon but Lin will play it on piano.

Lin and Lieberwirth-Morris have worked together only for a short time but they held a “try out” concert in Germany that went very well, says Lin.

“We’re really excited as a new duo to be coming to Gisborne.”

Musica Viva, the local affiliate of Chamber Music NZ, presents The Tasman Ensemble, featuring pianist Tony Lin and violinist Christina Lieberwirth-Morris who will perform at Tiromoana, 41 Winifred Street, on Wednesday, March 6 at 7pm. Tickets at door, adults $25, students free. For more information contact 868 6443 or gillco@gisborne.net.nz