Kevin Kelly, East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra
Kevin
Kelly has served the musical community of Champaign-Urbana in multiple
roles since 1991. He
has conducted the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra since 1993, building
it from an 11-player middle school string
ensemble to a full 60-piece symphony orchestra of high school and middle
school children from communities throughout the area. The ECIYO
was named "Youth Orchestra of the Year" by the Illinois Council of Orchestras
in 1999. He
founded The Prairie Ensemble in 1996 and The Prairie Voices in 1999. Mr.
Kelly is also choirmaster at Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church in Champaign
and a music announcer for WILL-FM in Urbana.
Mr. Kelly previously directed the Sangamon Valley Youth Orchestras in Springfield and the Illini Statesmen Barbershop Chorus in Champaign-Urbana. Last season he guest conducted the touring Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic, in a unique collaborative concert with the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra. He has also led the Illinois Symphony Orchestra at children's concerts in Bloomington and the Cumberland Valley Chamber Players in his home town of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Kevin has been active in musical theater with the Illini Union Board and the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company, serving as musical director for CUTC's production of Gypsy, and served as orchestra advisor to the Urbana Park District production of Fiddler on the Roof.
Mr. Kelly holds bachelor's degrees in English and music history and criticism from Northwestern University and master's degrees in orchestral and choral conducting from the University of Illinois. He has sung with several professional choral ensembles in Chicago, including the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Symphony Chorus, The City Musick, Basically Bach, and His Majesties Clerkes. He has studied conducting with Kenneth Kiesler, Paul Vermel, Victor Yampolsky, Harold Farberman, Kirk Trevor, and Emil Simon.
Mr. Kelly previously directed the Sangamon Valley Youth Orchestras in Springfield and the Illini Statesmen Barbershop Chorus in Champaign-Urbana. Last season he guest conducted the touring Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic, in a unique collaborative concert with the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra. He has also led the Illinois Symphony Orchestra at children's concerts in Bloomington and the Cumberland Valley Chamber Players in his home town of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Kevin has been active in musical theater with the Illini Union Board and the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company, serving as musical director for CUTC's production of Gypsy, and served as orchestra advisor to the Urbana Park District production of Fiddler on the Roof.
Mr. Kelly holds bachelor's degrees in English and music history and criticism from Northwestern University and master's degrees in orchestral and choral conducting from the University of Illinois. He has sung with several professional choral ensembles in Chicago, including the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Symphony Chorus, The City Musick, Basically Bach, and His Majesties Clerkes. He has studied conducting with Kenneth Kiesler, Paul Vermel, Victor Yampolsky, Harold Farberman, Kirk Trevor, and Emil Simon.
Faculty by alphabetical listing