Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Coburg String Quartet
Formed in the fall of 2023, the Coburg String Quartet brings together four musicians from Symphony Nova Scotia: violinists Mark Lee and Charna Matsushige, violist Carolyn Farnand, and cellist Aiden Russell. Despite their demanding symphony schedules, their shared passion for chamber music unites them, bringing a lively energy to every performance. Since their inception, the Coburg String Quartet has performed across Nova Scotia, including at the Hear Here Society in Yarmouth and the Scotia Festival of Music Chamber Players Series in Halifax. You can also catch them performing a diverse range of repertoire in the Candlelight Concerts.
Aiden Russell 
(cello)
Aiden Russell, a cellist from Ottawa, Ontario, joined the cello section of Symphony Nova Scotia in September 2022. Aiden has had the opportunity to learn from many of the world’s elite artists including Marin Alsop, Astrid Schween, Peter Wiley, Steven Doane, Johannes Moser, Brian Manker, Joe Johnson, Rachel Mercer, and Brannon Cho. In 2021, he competed in the National Arts Centre Bursary Competition and was awarded the Crabtree Foundation Award which supports a candidate in pursuit of an orchestral career. Aiden is an alumnus of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, the International Cello Institute, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra Mentorship Program.
Charna Matsushige (violin)
A native of Newmarket, Ontario, Charna Matsushige began studying the violin with Sonia Klimasko at age six and by her late teens continued her studies with David Zafer in Toronto. She has enjoyed playing with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the Toronto Concert Orchestra, the National Academy Orchestra, and the Kingston Symphony. An avid chamber musician, Charna has participated in string quartet programs at the Scotia Festival of Music in Halifax and the NYU Steinhardt Intensive String Quartet Workshop in New York City. Charna received her Bachelor of Music in Performance at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music under the tutelage of Mark Fewer. In 2014, she received her Master of Music from the University of Toronto, studying with Yehonatan Berick. In addition to her role with Symphony Nova Scotia, she currently performs with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and freelances in the Toronto and surrounding areas.
Carolyn Farnand (viola)
Recognized as one of CBC Music’s 2024 “30 Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30,” violist Carolyn Farnand is celebrated for her versatility and passion for collaboration. Recent highlights include performing on Nu Deco Ensemble’s major-
A graduate of the Juilliard School, New World Symphony, and the University of Toronto, Carolyn was a Temerty Fellow while completing her Artist Diploma at the Glenn Gould School. She is grateful for the inspiration of her teachers: Carol Rodland, Toby Appel, Steven Dann, Cynthia Roberts, and Eric Nowlin.
Carolyn serves as Principal Viola of Symphony Nova Scotia, and looks forward to performances this season with the Amati Concert Series, Sensory-
Mark Lee (violin)
Halifax-
After receiving his Masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music with the highest distinction, Mr. Lee worked closely with the London Symphony Orchestra, and with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as acting Principal Violinist. He has made recordings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia. He has also performed for members of the British Royal Family in the House of Lords Parliament.
Mr. Lee is a member of the Verbier Music Festival Orchestra serving as concertmaster under many renowned conductors including Charles Dutoit, Yuri Temirkanov, Daniel Harding, Jaap van Zweden, Ivan Fischer, Esa-