Recognised as one of Australia's leading musicians, pianist Kristian Chong has performed extensively throughout Australia and the UK, and in China, France, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, USA, and Zimbabwe. His performance schedule finds him in frequent demand as concerto soloist, solo recitalist and particularly as chamber musician.

As concerto soloist he has appeared with the Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Queensland, Sydney and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, and orchestras in the UK, New Zealand and China with conductors such as Werner Andreas Albert, Andrey Boreyko, Nicholas Braithwaite, Jessica Cottis, Fabian Russell, Roy Goodman, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Nicholas Milton, Benjamin Northey, Tuomas Hannikainen, Marcus Stenz, Arvo Volmer and Marco Zuccarini. Highlights have included Rachmaninoff 3rd with the Sydney Symphony, Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in Beijing and Canberra, and Britten with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. More recent concerto highlights include Shostakovich 2nd, Brahms 1st, Rachmaninoff 3rd, Beethoven's 3rd and Emperor in Melbourne, Ravel's Left Hand concerto in Melbourne (Australian Youth Orchestra) and Dunedin (Dunedin Symphony Orchestra), Saint-Saëns 2nd & Rachmaninoff's Paganini Rhapsody with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and Malcolm Williamson's 2nd with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

Described by The Age as ‘a true chamber musician at work’, Kristian has collaborated extensively with many leading Australian and international musicians. Performances have included the Tinalley and Australian String Quartets, cellists Li-Wei Qin and Timo-Veikko Valve, violinists Vadim Gluzman, Rebecca Chan, Sophie Rowell, Dale Barltrop, Daniel Dodds, Jack Liebeck and Satu Vänskä, violist Christopher Moore, mezzo soprano Caitlin Hulcup, clarinettist Philip Arkinstall, baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes, (with whom he has recorded with ABC-Classics) and flautist Megan Sterling amongst many others. His festival appearances include the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Adelaide, Coriole, Huntington Estate, Mimir Chamber Music and Bangalow Festivals.

Other recent solo and chamber highlights include Oxford May Music Festival (UK) in May 2025, the 'Kristian Chong and Friends' series at the Melbourne Recital Centre, which is in its 13th year in 2026, the Great Performers series, also at the Melbourne Recital Centre, and many performances at UKARIA Cultural Centre in South Australia.

Kristian studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Piers Lane and Christopher Elton, with Stephen McIntyre at the University of Melbourne and with Noreen Stokes and Stefan Ammer at the Elder Conservatorium. He teaches piano and chamber music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and is a frequent adjudicator and highly respected pedagogue.

Kristian is a YAMAHA Artist.

Dr

Kristian Chong

Associate Lecturer in Music (Piano)

Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

Dr

Kristian Chong

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