For our second episode of the season, we welcome cellist Chiara Kelle and pianist Ben Fu to the studio. Chiara and Ben will perform live to air before receiving feedback from mentors Evan J Lawson and Paul Zabrowarny. Continue reading to learn more about Chiara and Ben.

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Cellist Chiara Kelle

Chiara, aged 17, is a cellist studying at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School under Josephine Vains. She is very interested in the impact of Alexander Technique on her playing, and has studied it for 5 years under Robert Schubert. She loves to understand the connection between thoughts and visualisations of the music and how these impact on the sound. She also enjoys experimenting with various sound worlds and creating musical impact through tone and resonance. Chiara loves performing and exploring various ways of engaging an audience. She is also very interested in the history surrounding the music and what this means for the piece. 

In 2022, Chiara completed her LMusA with distinction, received a 50 in VCE Music Investigations, as well as placing 3rd in the Boroondara Eisteddfod Strings Open Age. In 2021, she placed second in the Boroondara Eisteddfod Strings Solo 18 Years and Under, completed her AMusA cello examination and was a finalist in the Melbourne Recital Centre Bach Competition. 

Chiara now plays on a Y. Chen cello, previously played by Gautier Capuçon and Li Wei Qin.

Chiara will perform:

• J.Haydn: Cello Concerto in C Major, mvt.1
• A.Glazunov: Chant du Menestrel

With associate artist Stewart Kelly

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Pianist Ben Fu

18-year-old Ben Fu was born in ChengDu China, and began studying piano at the age of 7, before migrating to Australia. Ben studies with Professor Glenn Riddle at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. He has won numerous prizes in both China and Australia, including 1st Prizes in the Preston Symphony Concerto Competition, the Boroondara Concerto Competition, and the PolMusicA Music Competition. Other important achievements include being awarded both the Margaret Green Scholarship and the Reg Lewis Scholarship. Ben made his concerto debut in 2022 performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 3 with the Preston Symphony Orchestra. Ben is a keen chamber music player, and recitalist, and he frequently records for 3MBS radio.

Ben will perform:

• J.S.Bach: Ricercar a3
• I.Stravinsky (arr.Agosti): Danse Infernale from “Firebird”
• F.Schubert/F.Liszt: Litanei S.562 No.1

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