Scott Kelley, Co-Conductor
Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes

Scott D. Kelley developed a love and appreciation for music at an early age through his father, Marvin Fred Kelley Jr. owner of Custom Recording Studio in Binghamton, New York. As a child growing up, Scott was surrounded by world-class musicians and often tagged along on recording sessions. This early exposure planted the seed for a lifelong love of classical music. Scott was inspired by his father who played trumpet and drums as a child and then in the Navy as an adult. Scott began playing the trumpet when he was nine years old. Scott has studied trumpet with Bernard Shifrin, Supervisor of Fine Arts-Binghamton School District, Dr. James Ode and Herb Mueller, Ithaca College trumpet professors, Ben Aldridge, SUNY at Binghamton trumpet professor and Frank Kaderabach, principal trumpet Philadelphia Orchestra. He has studied conducting with Edward Gobrecht, Pam Gearhart, Brian Rosen and Timothy Perry.

Scott played first trumpet in the Binghamton Youth Symphony under the baton of Bernard Shifrin and was awarded the first trumpet chair in the 1977 NYSSMA All-State Orchestra and also first trumpet in the School of Orchestral Studies in Saratoga, the summer residence of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Scott recalls how that summer had a momentous impact on his music. Scott Kelley has said, “Usually the students of the orchestral studies program would sit on the lawn at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and listen to the Philadelphia Orchestra perform each evening. This one night a trombonist in the youth orchestra and I talked our way into the SPAC Amphitheater to hear the orchestra play Mahler. I will never forget that experience. The orchestra and particularly the brass played with such majesty, volume and beauty. I got chills up my spine listening to the orchestra and could not sleep that night. It was at that moment that I totally fell in love with orchestral music.” Scott has played in orchestras ever since. He was selected into the Ithaca College Orchestra his freshman year at IC, the SUNY Binghamton Orchestra and has been a member of the Binghamton Symphony. Since 1987 Scott has performed with the Corning Philharmonic and currently the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes under the direction of Marietta Cheng. He is the leader of the B.C. Brass Quintet and is a frequent soloist throughout the area.

Scott received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from Ithaca College and a Master of Music in Performance from SUNY Binghamton. He began his teaching career in Troy, Pennsylvania directing the Junior/Senior High Instrumental Music Program. Scott led the High School Band to first place in the Laurel Festival Parade. After one year in Troy, Scott became the director of the Roy C. Ketcham Marching Band in Wappingers Falls, New York. Since 1987, Scott has been Director of Bands at Elmira Free Academy where he conducts the Concert and Symphonic Bands, Marching Band and award winning EFA Jazz Ensemble. Scott also is the founding director of the Elmira College Concert Ensemble which he started in 1992 and the Instrumental Music Director at the First Presbyterian Church in Elmira. Scott is a regular guest conductor of Area All-State and All County Bands.

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