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ARIEL BART (Berlin/Aus) + MWIJF BIG BAND directed by Angela Davis
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 @ 7:30 pm
Doors open at 7:00 pm
Ariel Bart (Berlin / Aus)
Ariel Bart – harmonica
Lauren Tsamouras – piano
Freya Schack-Arnott – cello
Ariel Bart is a harmonica player and composer currently based in Berlin. Specializing in the chromatic harmonica, Ariel has developed a distinctive and expressive sound that lies at the heart of her compositions.
Her debut album, In Between (Ropeadope Records, 2021), introduced her innovative sonic world, further expanded in her second release, Documentaries (Ropeadope Records). She has collaborated with renowned artists including William Parker, Andrew Cyrille, Yossi Fine, and Yemen Blues, and has performed as a soloist with The Jerusalem Orchestra East and West.
Ariel’s current focus is her trio project featuring harmonica, cello, and piano — a formation that has captivated audiences at major European festivals such as Éclats d’Email (France), Jazzahead! 2024 (Germany), Freespace JazzFest (Hong Kong), and Jazz à l’Ouest (France). Their upcoming album is set for release in September 2025.
Her music presents a unique and intimate sound world — the soulful harmonica at its center — balancing lyricism and cinematic depth in a romantic, evocative style.
In her debut Australian performance, Ariel will collaborate with two exceptional Sydney musicians:
Lauren Tsamouras (piano) and Freya Schack-Arnott (cello).
MWIJF Big Band
Presented in conjunction with the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
The MWIJF Big Band brings together outstanding tertiary students from Monash University and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, performing music by Australian composers alongside classic big band arrangements from the swing era and beyond.
Ensemble Lineup:
Altos: Bernie Ramos & Olivia Van Der Heyden
Tenors: Zifa Tanner-Kamal & Sulia Van Sebille
Baritone: Natasha Lowe
Trombones: Ashling O’Farrell, Olivia Portelli & Giorgia Smith
Trumpets: Yael Marks, Rachel Moshel, Ruby Minuer & Erin Sherlock
Piano: Saffi Campbell Walker & Coco Browne
Bass: Chezz Cinquegrana
Drums: Lydia Nguyen
Directed by Angela Davis
Leading saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Angela Davis directs the MWIJF Big Band. Described by The Age as having “an instinctively melodic approach,” Davis is an ARIA-nominated artist with a Masters of Music from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia.
Her critically acclaimed albums — The Art of the Melody (2013), Lady Luck (2016), and Little Did They Know (ABC Jazz, 2019) — have received international recognition, including multiple Australian Bell Award nominations and ARIA/AIR nominations for Best Jazz Album.
A versatile performer and D’Addario Australia artist, Davis has appeared with Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Vince Jones, James Morrison, Patti Austin, Linda Oh, Andrea Keller, and Sandy Evans. Her most recent ABC Jazz Fresh Start Commission features leading Australian jazz artists Stephen Magnusson, Frank DiSario, and Patrick Danao.
“Davis has a gift for ravishingly lyrical melodies, and in this setting she and her intuitive bandmates focus on subtle details rather than bold, sweeping gestures.”
— Jessica Nicholas, The Age
Set 1: Ariel Bart
Set 2: MWIJF Big Band
Co-presented with the Melbourne Jazz Co-op and major partner the University of Melbourne