About Kelly Hayden

Steeped in music her whole life, it was only natural for Kelly to go into a career in music. Her whole family is musical and fostered her musical skills at a young age (for real, there are photos of three year old Kelly banging on the family piano). After participating in every music opportunity in her hometown of Owensboro, KY, as a clarinetist, flautist, and bass guitarist, Kelly moved on to the University of Louisville to get her Bachelors and Masters of Music in Clarinet performance. During her bachelor’s, she had the pleasure of performing with the University of Louisville Wind Ensemble in Prague, Czech Republic, as part of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. In her Masters, she specialized in the study and performance of contemporary clarinet music, as well as music theory and music theory pedagogy. Her favorite pieces to play include New York Counterpoint by Steve Reich, Gnarly Buttons by John Adams, and Peregi Verbunk by Leo Weiner. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a DMA in Clarinet Performance and become a traveling soloist and college professor.

When she isn’t practicing or nerding out over music theory, Kelly is an avid reader, preferring to focus on fantasy and science fiction. She also enjoys playing video games such as the Elder Scrolls series, Animal Crossing, and Stardew Valley. She loves cats, and would be happy to share photos and gush about her cat Jazz for as long as anyone will listen.