Canadian ensemble Quartetto Gelato performed April 12 at the Shoals Theatre as the final act of OnStage’s 2011-2012 performance season.

The quartet features vocalist, violinist and mandolinist Peter DeSotto; oboist, guitarist and mandolinist Colin Maier; cellist Liza McClellan and accordionist Alex Sevastian.

“Our music is a lot like classical music just because of the instruments we play, but it’s still different,” Maier said. “With classical, the audience is afraid to clap, hoot and holler.”

The group played an eclectic selection of music, ranging from a slow and peaceful arrangement of Édith Piaf’s “La Vie en rose” to fast and exciting gypsy songs like “Czardas.”

“Usually, I’d go to something like that for novelty and then want to leave after several songs, but with this I was completely captivated and didn’t want it to end,” said UNA student Evan Sandy.

The band members said they enjoyed the audience as much as the audience enjoyed them.

“It was probably one of the warmest crowds, for sure,” Maier said. “We’ll be back.”