Meet the Conductor: Kellen Gray

KELLEN GRAY, CONDUCTOR

Kellen Gray has earned a reputation as a versatile and imaginative conductor through his diverse array of traditional and multimedia integrative programming. Presently, he serves as Assistant Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (UK) and Associate Conductor of the Charleston Symphony. Prior to his current appointments, Kellen served separate tenures as Assistant Conductor of Chicago Sinfonietta and the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra. Chicago’s Picture This Post, described Kellen’s conducting as having “a laser-like focus that allows the entire orchestra to become one.” Referencing his debut Nutcracker performance, the Classical Voice of North Carolina described, “…gestures so smooth and polished they’re almost choreography…”

Kellen is a native of Rock Hill, South Carolina. He credits the many folk music styles of the southeastern United States as his earliest and most impactful influences on his music-making. Through extensive research of the roots of early AfricanAmerican music and dance, Kellen specializes in presenting the many classical works that utilize those folk idioms. This has served him well with various recording projects — most recently his debut album, African American Voices with Linn Records, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, featuring George Walker’s Lyric for Strings, William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American Symphony), and William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony.

Kellen’s recent and upcoming conducting endeavors include the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera (UK), Chineke! Orchestra (UK), Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, Spoleto Festival USA, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic, Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra, and Northwest Florida Symphony.