Nicholas Ryan Kelly is a composer who draws inspiration from speculative fiction, science, and nature. He has been commended by the Vancouver Sun for his “sophisticated work of such immediate, glittery appeal” and called “a rising star in the constellation of Canadian composers” by Oregon Arts Watch.
Originally drawn to music’s storytelling power by symphonic film scores, he now brings a sense of cinematic drama to music for choirs, orchestras, and wind bands throughout North America.
His choral compositions have been performed and released on CD by some of Canada’s top choirs, including Chor Leoni, the Da Capo Chamber Choir, Pro Coro Canada, and many others. Since 2015, he has received over a dozen national and international awards for choral writing, including the Edwin Fissinger Choral Composition Prize.
Originally from rural New York State, he is now a Canadian citizen and lives in BC’s beautiful Okanagan Valley, where he composes, conducts, and teaches private lessons. He completed degrees in music composition at Ithaca College (B.M.) and the University of British Columbia (M.Mus.). His choral scores are published with Alliance Music, Pavane Publishing, Cypress Choral Music, and Renforth Music. He also self-publishes through Lone Moose Music, distributed by Musicspoke.
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