Kellen Gray

In reference to a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Suite from Swan Lake, the Classical Voice of North Carolina referred to American conductor, KELLEN GRAY as an “…imposing young Georgian(US) with gestures so smooth and polished they’re almost choreography in themselves.”
The 2017-18 season marks Kellen Gray’s return to Chicago Sinfonietta as Assistant Conductor and Project Inclusion Freeman Conducting Fellow. Kellen is also Associate Conductor of the Columbus Ballet(GA), and has earned a reputation as a versatile, thoughtful, and imaginative conductor through his enthusiasm for traditional, experimental, and integrative multimedia art programs. In recent ventures, Kellen has served as cover conductor for Albert-George Schram in the Charlotte Symphony’s Summer Pops: Celebrate America and conducted a program of the music of David Diamond in tandem with Karen Allen’s directing debut film, “A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud” for the celebration of the author, Carson McCuller’s 100th birthday.

Before his present appointments, Kellen served as Assistant Conductor of the America Prize-winning, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Valdosta Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2014-16. Also in 2016, Kellen was one of eight Conducting Fellows at Eastern Music Festival where he studied with Gerard Schwarz, Grant Cooper, and Jose-Luis Novo. Of his North Carolina debut at Eastern Music Festival, Peter Perret of the Classical Voice of North Carolina referred to Kellen as an “...imposing young Georgian(USA) with gestures so smooth and polished they’re almost choreography in themselves.”

As a part of his commitment to music education, since 2015 , Kellen has served as an annual Guest Conductor for the GISA(Georgia Independent Schools Association) All-Select Honors Orchestra, and often volunteers time to work with public school orchestras in Georgia. During the holidays of 2014 and 2015, he was cover conductor for the Hollywood Concert Orchestra during their tours of China.

Kellen received his earliest musical training from the public school system of South Carolina in his hometown of Rock Hill. He earned his undergraduate degree in Violin Performance from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University(GA), and his Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Valdosta State University(GA).