Elliott was cellist with the Zehetmair Quartet and former principal cello of the Irish Chamber Orchestra
Canadian cellist and composer Christian Elliot has died. He was a member of the Zehetmair Quartet since 2014, as well as cellist with the Phoenix Piano Trio, and was former principal cello of the Irish Chamber Orchestra from 2016-22. He had made his home in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Elliott enjoyed a varied international career; with the Zehetmair Quartet, he performed at Konzerthaus Berlin, Edinburgh International Festival, Konzerthaus Wien, Palau de la Music Barcelona and Concertgebouw Amsterdam. He also performed regularly as a soloist and music director with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, as well as making appearances with Manchester Collective. As a composer, he performed his own works at Wigmore Hall and the Harrogate International Festival.
A musician with a strong social conscience, he also gave workshops and performances at schools, hospitals, care homes and food banks. In 2024, he was part of a new artistic initiative with Sir James Macmillan and Cumnock Tryst, leading events for young composers and musicians in the Ayrshire area of Scotland.
Elliott was born in 1984 in Ottawa, Canada. He studied at McGill University in Montreal with Matt Haimovitz and later at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK, with Hannah Roberts and Ralph Kirshbaum.
In a statement the members of the Zehetmair Quartet said: ‘We are heartbroken that our great cellist Christian left us. What stays with us are dear memories of being together and enjoying the love between us. Thank you Christian for your pure energy and commitment over the years, we miss you deeply.’
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