Kristopher Tong has enjoyed an extensive career as a performer and teacher, playing hundreds of concerts around the world as a member of the Borromeo String Quartet, New England Conservatory's quartet-in-residence. A member of the chamber music and violin faculties, he also serves as co-Chair of strings.
Tong has been hailed as a performer of "exceptional insight and creative flair" (Boston Globe). As second violinist of the Borromeo String Quartet, he has performed across the United States and around the world to critical acclaim. In addition to his concertizing with the Borromeos, Tong is an active recitalist, chamber musician, and teacher. He has taught and performed at numerous festivals, including the Taos School of Music, Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival, NOI+F, Music@Menlo, and at the Heifetz Institute. Tong has performed on such radio programs as NPR’s "Performance Today," WGBH’s "Classical Performance," and was featured on WGBH’s "Classical Connections" in a series entitled "Why Mass.?"
From 2002-2004, Tong was Principal Second Violin with the Verbier Festival Orchestra, with whom he toured throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Tong began his violin studies in a public elementary school program in Binghamton, N.Y., later moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he became a student of Leonard Braus. He received his degrees at Indiana University in Bloomington and at the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Franco Gulli, Yuval Yaron, and Miriam Fried. He currently resides in Brighton, MA with his wife Miki Sawada, a pianist, and their dog Shakira. He is a 2:51 marathoner.
B.M., Indiana University in Bloomington. M.M., NEC. Studies with Franco Gulli, Yuval Yaron, and Miriam Fried. Former faculty of Harvard University, where he received a Certificate of Distinction in Teaching from the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. Former faculty of NEC's Preparatory School.
