A native of New Jersey, percussionist Brandon Kelly received his undergraduate education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, Brandon was highly active in all of IUP’s major ensembles ranging from pit percussionist for musicals and operas to orchestra, jazz ensemble, and wind ensemble. Following IUP, Brandon pursued his Masters in Percussion Performance as a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas, where he had the responsibilities of teaching undergraduate percussion lessons, percussion methods classes and directing UNT’s 12 O’clock Percussion Ensemble. As a performer, Brandon was active in many of UNT’s culturally-diverse percussion ensembles, and served as principal percussionist of the world renowned North Texas Wind Symphony.
Brandon’s teachers include Mark Ford, Christopher Deane, Ed Soph, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Ed Smith, Paul Rennick, Poovalur Sriji, Tom Murphy, Dr. Gary Olmstead, Dr. Jack Stamp, Eugene Corporon, and Leigh Howard Stevens.
As an educator, Brandon is heavily active in the DFW-metroplex as a percussion instructor, adjudicator, and clinician. Schools at which he currently offers percussion instruction include Berkner HS, Marcus HS, North Forney HS, Vines HS, Wylie HS, and Wylie East HS. For the last several summers, Brandon has also been part of the faculty for the Leigh Howard Stevens High School Summer Marimba Seminars in Plano, TX and Madison, NJ.
As a performer, Brandon continues to make regular appearances on recordings produced by the Keystone Wind Ensemble and North Texas Wind Symphony. He is currently a member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, LSWO Percussion Ensemble (Artistic Administrator), Keystone Wind Ensemble, and is the percussion section leader for the DFW-metroplex’s first British-style brass band, the Texas Star Brass Band. He has performed with the Altoona, Arlington, Garland, Johnstown, Las Colinas, and Westmoreland Symphony Orchestras. Also notable is the recent formation of Brandon’s newest venture, the paradox Percussion project – a Dallas-based ensemble dedicated to new works for percussion and educational outreach. He has performed at several major conferences and conventions, including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), PerKumania, Texas Bandmasters Association Conference (TBA), World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles International Conference (WASBE), and the Midwest Clinic, amongst others. Professional organizations of which he is a member include the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), The National Association for Music Education (MENC), Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
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