Alexander Kelly (pianist)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Kelly was a British
pianist
, composer
and former head of keyboard studies at the Royal Academy of Music
.
Kelly studied piano with Harold Craxton
and composition with Sir Lennox Berkeley
on a James Caird
scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music
.
He gave his Royal Festival Hall
debut under Sir Thomas Beecham
and, in 1957, gave his Wigmore Hall
debut: playing the Diabelli Variations
by Beethoven.
As a teacher, Kelly was much sought after: beginning his teaching career at the Royal Academy in 1960, and teaching there for over 30 years (until his retirement in 1992). He became head of the keyboard department in 1984. In addition to his teaching he also gave regular masterclasses at most of the major music colleges in the country and a series of his masterclasses were broadcast on Classic FM
. He was on the judging panel of the: Scottish International Piano Competition, Caird Scholarship, and was an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
.
Also active in the field of chamber music
he performed regularly with, amongst others, the violinist Jean Harvey, the tenor Duncan Robertson and the flautist William Bennett
.
In 1957 he married the cellist Margaret Moncrieff
and they had two daughters: the cellist Alison Moncrieff Kelly, and Catriona Kelly, now a Professor of Russian Literature
at New College
, Oxford. He also had two grandchildren, Camilla Davan-Wetton and Alexander Davan-Wetton. As a wedding present to Kelly and Moncrieff, the composer
Peter Wishart, wrote a Piano Concerto
which Kelly premiered in Birmingham in 1958.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and former head of keyboard studies at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
.
Kelly studied piano with Harold Craxton
Harold Craxton
Thomas Harold Hunt Craxton, OBE was an English pianist and composer.Craxton studied piano at the Tobias Matthay Pianoforte School and made a name for himself early in his career as an accompanist with performers such as Dame Nellie Melba, Dame Clara Butt, Lionel Tertis and John McCormack.In 1919...
and composition with Sir Lennox Berkeley
Lennox Berkeley
Sir Lennox Randal Francis Berkeley was an English composer.- Biography :He was born in Oxford, England, and educated at the Dragon School, Gresham's School and Merton College, Oxford...
on a James Caird
James Key Caird
Sir James Key Caird, 1st Baronet was a Scottish jute baron and mathematician. He was one of the city's most successful entrepreneurs, who used the latest technology in his Ashton and Craigie Mills. James Caird was born in Dundee, and was the son of Edward Caird who had founded the firm of Caird ...
scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
.
He gave his Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
debut under Sir Thomas Beecham
Thomas Beecham
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras...
and, in 1957, gave his Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
debut: playing the Diabelli Variations
Diabelli Variations
The 33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli, Op. 120, commonly known as the Diabelli Variations, is a set of variations for the piano written between 1819 and 1823 by Ludwig van Beethoven on a waltz composed by Anton Diabelli...
by Beethoven.
As a teacher, Kelly was much sought after: beginning his teaching career at the Royal Academy in 1960, and teaching there for over 30 years (until his retirement in 1992). He became head of the keyboard department in 1984. In addition to his teaching he also gave regular masterclasses at most of the major music colleges in the country and a series of his masterclasses were broadcast on Classic FM
Classic FM (UK)
Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:...
. He was on the judging panel of the: Scottish International Piano Competition, Caird Scholarship, and was an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
ABRSM is an internationally recognised educational body and charity that provides examinations in music The organisation, based in London, UK, runs exams in centres all over the world...
.
Also active in the field of chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
he performed regularly with, amongst others, the violinist Jean Harvey, the tenor Duncan Robertson and the flautist William Bennett
William Bennett
William John "Bill" Bennett is an American conservative pundit, politician, and political theorist. He served as United States Secretary of Education from 1985 to 1988. He also held the post of Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under George H. W...
.
In 1957 he married the cellist Margaret Moncrieff
Margaret Moncrieff
Margaret Moncrieff was a Scottish cellist and author writing under the pseudonym Helen McClelland and writing novels in the Chalet School series.She was also professor of cello at the Royal College of Music...
and they had two daughters: the cellist Alison Moncrieff Kelly, and Catriona Kelly, now a Professor of Russian Literature
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
at New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, Oxford. He also had two grandchildren, Camilla Davan-Wetton and Alexander Davan-Wetton. As a wedding present to Kelly and Moncrieff, the composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Peter Wishart, wrote a Piano Concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
which Kelly premiered in Birmingham in 1958.