Schumann and Faure Piano Quartets

Two iconic masterpieces for the piano quartet.

Witness Schumann and Fauré in the hands of Kristian Chong and three of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's principal musicians, Associate Concertmaster Tair Khisambeev, Associate Principal Cello Elina Faskhi, and Principal Viola Christopher Moore.

Schumann's glorious Piano Quartet is one of the joys of the repertoire, influenced by Bach as well as themes of love, adoration, and exhilaration, whereas Fauré's C minor Quartet is a dramatic yet warm and optimistic masterwork. Join this exceptional ensemble as they take listeners on an exciting journey through two contrasting visions of the Romantic spirit.

Tickets

Standard $55 ($45 Concession)

Please note, seating in the Primrose Potter Salon is General Admission.

A Transaction Fee between $4 and $8.50 applies to orders made online and by phone. Delivery Fees may also apply. A ticket limit of six is in place online to ensure fair ticket access for all. Want to bring a bigger party? Call our Box Office during business hours on (03) 9699 3333 to book.

Artists

Kristian Chong piano
Tair Khisambeev violin
Elina Faskhi cello
Christopher Moore viola

About the Artists

One of Australia's leading pianists, Kristian Chong has performed throughout Australia and the UK, and in China, France, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, USA, and Zimbabwe. His performance schedule finds him in demand as concerto soloist, chamber musician, and solo recitalist. Kristian studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Piers Lane and Christopher Elton, with Stephen McIntyre at the University of Melbourne where Kristian currently teaches piano and chamber music, and with Noreen Stokes and Stefan Ammer at the Elder Conservatorium. His competition successes include the Symphony Australia Young Performers Award (keyboard) and the Australian National Piano Award.

Having a passion for travel, Tair Khisambeev has worked in many different countries, exploring the diversity of the world's cultures and the performing arts inherent in every place he visited. Before settling in Melbourne in 2019, he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied with Prof. Eduard Grach (violin), Prof. Andrey Shishlov (string quartet), Prof. Alexander Rudin and Prof. Alexander Bonduriansky (chamber ensemble). For the relatively short period of time spent in Australia since his arrival, Tair has already been deeply integrated into the cultural life of Melbourne and other Australian cities, including as Assistant Concertmaster at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and actively taking part in various music festivals and projects outside the MSO.

Elina Faskhi is one of the most exciting young cellists in Australia, known for her 'strikingly powerful and melodious' (Classic Melbourne) expression. Born in Ufa, Russia into a family of musicians, she studied at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Prof. Igor Gavrysh, Prof. Irons Kandinskaya and Vladimir Balshin (Borodin Quartet). She has been a member of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia and held a position as Assistant Principal Cellist at the Hyogo Performing Arts Centre Orchestra in Japan.

Principal Viola of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Moore spent nine years travelling the globe as Principal Viola of Australian Chamber Orchestra. As romantic as that sounds, he missed his old chums Mahler, Schoenberg and Adès, and so returned to these and other old friends at the MSO. Christopher Moore plays a viola attributed to Giovanni Paolo Maggini, dating from circa 1600-10 AD, loaned anonymously to the MSO.

Program

Gabriel Fauré
Piano Quartet in C minor No.1, Op.45

Robert Schumann
Piano Quartet in E-flat, Op.47