Pianos and Percussion: Festival Finale
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Sunday, 3 May 2026
6:30 pm
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Snow Concert Hall
40 Monaro Cres, Red Hill, ACT 2603
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In Association with
Spectacular musicianship on show in classic works
Our Festival Finale unites towering 20th century works and an exciting Festival commission to reveal the two-piano-plus-percussion ensemble at its most visceral and expressive.
Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances (1940), heard here in its original two-piano form, is his final musical statement – an autumnal work of rhythmic vigour, lush harmonies, and haunting reflection, culminating in a triumphant transformation of an Orthodox chant.
‘A unique chamber version of an orchestral classic – a visceral experience’
Festival composer-in-residence Fiona Hill approaches the form with a new work that stretches percussion instrumentally and performatively, generating exciting new sonic and dramaturgical languages. Her finely-honed command of timbre, combined with extensive training as a concert pianist, places her in a formidable position to engage with – and challenge – the surrounding 20th century heavyweight pieces.
Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (1913), arguably the most important work of the century, will be heard here in its two-piano version, stripped away by Stravinsky himself from its orchestrational colour to foreground the raw, percussive heart of this revolutionary ballet. Its premiere caused a riot, and its primal rhythms and tonal sounds still stun some hundred years later.
‘High impact rhythm and virtuosity on show in works few have the ability to master’
Each work demands supreme virtuosity and precision but also invites the ensemble to shape vast sonic landscapes, from the most delicate shimmer to unbridled percussive force.
Together, they form a concert of elemental energy and vivid contrast, where rhythm is the driving force and the fusion of pianos and percussion unlocks new dimensions of sound.
A fitting Festival Finale and one not to be missed.
Artists
Kristian Chong piano
Timothy Young piano
Eugene Ughetti percussion
Kaylie Melville percussion
Veronica Bailey percussion
Program
Sergei Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances (1940), original version for two pianos
Fiona Hill If Only We Could Listen (2026) for two pianos and percussion (Festival commission)
Igor Stravinsky The Rite of Spring (1913), version for pianos and percussion
This concert is generously supported by John and Margaret Saboisky.
Duration: 100 min, including interval
ARTIST Learn more about the artist
Artist Veronica Bailey
Veronica is the Principal Percussionist with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. She has a Bachelor of Music from the Australian National University and a Master’s degree focusing on percussion pedagogy. She also studied at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.
Veronica is a passionate educator and has been the classical percussion teacher at the ANU School of Music since 2018, ANU Open School since 2010, and also teaches privately. A number of her students have won prizes in national competitions, been finalists of Musica Viva Strike a Chord competitions, participated in Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) programs, and have been awarded scholarships to study at the ANU, Sydney Conservatorium of Music and other universities.
Photo credit: Martin Ollman
Artist Kaylie Melville
Kaylie Melville is a percussionist, director and curator based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. Kaylie is the co-Artistic Director of new music organisations Speak Percussion and Rubiks Collective, and frequently works with leading Australian ensembles and orchestras as an independent artist. Dedicated to new music performances, commissions and collaborations, she has been noted for her “extraordinary ability to impart a sense of musicality to even the smallest gestures”.
Kaylie has performed in the world premieres of many nominated and award-winning Australian works, including Rubiks’ ‘Rorqual’ (Outstanding Sound Work nominee, 2025 Green Room Awards), Liza Lim’s ‘Atlas of the Sky’ (Performance of the Year, 2019 Art Music Awards) and Kate Neal’s ‘Semaphore’ (Performance of the Year, 2016 Art Music Awards). Her festival appearances include RlSING, Sydney Festival, Salihara Festival (Indonesia), Australia Fest (India), George Town Festival (Malaysia), and the Percussive Arts Society’s International Convention (US).
Photo credit: Darren Gill
Artist Eugene Ughetti
Eugene is the founder and Co-Artistic Director of Speak Percussion as well as the Artistic Director of the Canberra International Music Festival. He is known worldwide as a trailblazer in art music whether as director, composer, performer or conductor.
He has collaborated with iconic figures in new music such as Pierre Boulez, Liza Lim, Steve Reich, and John Zorn.
As a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician Eugene has worked across the globe. He has premiered new concerti with Australian Symphony Orchestras and worked with renowned conductors including Charles Dutoit, Lorin Maazel, Sir Andrew Davis, and Valery Gergiev.
Eugene’s compositions have been commissioned by The Australian Ballet, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra the ABC, and other prestigious institutions. His works have been featured at international festivals and venues, including Darmstadt (Germany), Roulette (USA), SONICA (UK), Ruhrtriennale (Germany), Transart (Italy), Lucerne Festival (Switzerland), Noordezon Festival (The Netherlands), SIPFest (Jakarta), National Museum (Singapore), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (UK), and George Town Festival (Malaysia).
Eugene has received many prestigious awards, such as the inaugural Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship, the Freedman Award for Classical Music, and the Luminary Art Music Award (organizational). He is a PhD candidate at Monash University, focusing on Signature Pedagogies in Creative Collaboration.
Eugene’s classical training, diverse leadership experience, and adventurous spirit make him a pioneering force in the Australian music scene.
Photo credit: Bryony Jacks
Artist Kristian Chong
One of Australia’s leading musicians, YAMAHA artist and pianist Kristian Chong has performed extensively throughout Australia and the UK, and in China, France, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, USA, and Zimbabwe. He is in frequent demand as concerto soloist, solo recitalist and 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 Andrey Boreyko, Nicholas Braithwaite, Jessica Cottis, Roy Goodman, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, Nicholas Milton, Benjamin Northey, Tuomas Hannikainen, Marcus Stenz, Arvo Volmer and Marco Zuccarini. Highlights have included Rachmaninoff 3rd (Sydney Symphony), Rachmaninoff’s Paganini Rhapsody in Beijing and Canberra (Canberra Symphony), and Britten (Adelaide Symphony). Recent highlights include Shostakovich 2nd, Brahms 1st, Rachmaninoff 3rd, Beethoven’s 3rd and Emperor in Melbourne, Ravel’s Left-Hand concerto with both the Australian Youth Orchestra & Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Saint-Saëns 2nd & Rachmaninoff’s Paganini Rhapsody with the Melbourne Symphony, and Malcolm Williamson’s 2nd with the Canberra Symphony.
Described by The Age as ‘a true chamber musician at work’, Kristian has collaborated extensively with musicians such as 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) flautist Megan Sterling and the Australian String Quartet amongst many others. His festival appearances include the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Adelaide, Coriole, Huntington Estate, Mimir and Bangalow Festivals.
Other recent solo and chamber highlights include Oxford May Music Festival (UK) in May 2025 and the ‘Kristian Chong and Friends’ series at the Melbourne Recital Centre, in its thirteenth year in 2026.
Kristian studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Piers Lane & Christopher Elton, with Stephen McIntyre at the University of Melbourne and with Noreen Stokes and Stefan Ammer at the Elder Conservatorium. He is on piano and chamber music faculty at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
Photo: John Tsiavis