- Kelsey -

Cellist & Vocalist

Music has always been a part of Kelsey's life and she feels it is one of the best ways to spread joy and connect with others!

Kelsey began voice lessons at the age of two, piano at the age of five, and then cello at the age of ten. She soon began to write her own songs for the piano and learned to improvise, under the teachings of Dawn Arrington. She maintained private cello lessons with Dr. Kenneth Law. He and Kelsey's parents encouraged her to attend orchestra summer camps every year.

Additionally, she continued to sing in choirs and take voice lessons under the study of Suzanne Brown. She fell in love with Broadway and opera, then turned her focus to popular music.

After attending the S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities her junior and senior years of high school, she had a newfound drive for performing. With Katie Dey as her orchestra director and Dr. Robert O’Brien as her cello teacher, she learned many creative ways to play with others. 

Kelsey graduated cum laude with a Bachelors of Music in Cello Performance at her home-away-from-home, Appalachian State University.  At Appalachian State, the expansion from recording to stage production to conducting strengthened her musical skills. She played in chamber groups, was first chair cello of the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra, and somehow still found time to busk in downtown Boone on sunny days, singing and playing cello with friends. Boone is where she started playing for weddings across the Blue Ridge Mountains blending both classical and jazz into her repertoire. ​
Her cello professor, Dr. Kenneth Lurie, was instrumental in encouraging her love for jazz, bluegrass, and popular music, while simultaneously singing and playing the cello. Kelsey has found it fun and challenging to create something new. Her debut of a voice/ cello combo was “Cry Me a River” by Diana Krall which she performed at her junior recital. Kelsey quickly started arranging covers of other songs that she loved by Billie Holiday, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and of course, the greatest band of all time, The Beatles. Since then, Kelsey's dad has supported her creativity by helping Kelsey learn about amplification, recording, and a loop pedal for performances. She enjoy the challenge of discovering new artists, learning what they have to say, and then making music in her own style. 

Since moving to Charleston in 2017,  Kelsey has pursued additional study and is currently teaching middle school strings while maintaining a small private studio. She is one of six directors for the Charleston County School District Honors Orchestra program and teaches summer SMAART Strings Camp at the Charleston County School of the Arts. 

Kelsey considers it an honor to participate in celebrations and ceremonies in the beautiful Lowcountry venues this city has to offer,  making these special events meaningful and remembered through live music. 

Kelsey's Sample Song List


​Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Many selections available upon request. 
Contact us to customize music for your special event!

BROADWAY & FILM
Edelweiss - The Sound of Music
Honey Bun - South Pacific
I Could Have Danced All Night - My Fair Lady
I’ll Know - Guys and Dolls
Moon River - Breakfast at Tiffany’s
My Favorite Things - The Sound of Music
My Funny Valentine - Babes in Arms
So in Love - Kiss Me Kate
Somewhere over the Rainbow - Wizard of Oz
Ten Minutes Ago - Cinderella
Think of Me - Phantom of the Opera
Till There was You - The Music Man

CLASSICAL
Air ( from The Water Music) - Handel
Air on the G String - Bach
Bouree (The Water Music)
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Hornpipe (The Water Music) – Handel
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring - Bach
Julie-O- Mark Summer
Largo - Handel
Spring, from the Four Seasons – Vivaldi
The Swan - Camille Saint-Saens
Suite No. 1, 2 & 3 for Solo Cello - Bach
Trumpet Tune - Purcell
Trumpet Voluntary – Clarke
Wedding March (Traditional “Here Comes the Bride”) - Wagner
Wedding March (Traditional Bridal Recessional) – Mendelssohn

COUNTRY
Dancing When the Stars Go Blue - Tim McGraw
Forever and Always - Shania Twain
Greatest Love Story - Lanco
Head Over Boots - John Pardi
Lover - Taylor Swift
Love Story - Taylor Swift
My Little Girl- Tim McGraw
Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton
Would You Go With Me - Josh Turner
You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

JAZZ
Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin
Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You - Franky Valley
Come On’a My House - Rosemary Clooney
Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
La Vie En Rose - Louis Armstrong
L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole
S’Wonderful - Diana Krall
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

OLDIES
All My Loving - The Beatles
All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis Pressley
Cigarettes and Coffee - Ottis Redding
Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman
Have You Ever Seen the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) - Marvin Gaye
I’ve Just Seen a Face - The Beatles
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Ottis Redding
Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver

POP
A Thousand Years - Christina Perry
All of Me - John Legend
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Darlin’ - Houndmouth
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
Green Eyes - Coldplay
Hey Ho - The Lumineers
Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Joanne - Lady Gaga
I Love You So - The Walters
I’ll Always Remember Us This Way - Lady Gaga
I’ll Never Love Again - Lady Gaga
Million Reasons - Lady Gaga
Music To My Eyes - Bradley Cooper
Ophelia - The Lumineers
Parachutes - Coldplay
Shallow - Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga
Slow Hands - Niall Horan
Sparks - Coldplay
Surf - Mac Miller
Swallowed in the Sea - Coldplay
Sweater Weather - The Neighbourhood
Tongue Tied - Grouplove
The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
Us - Regina Spektor
Yellow - Coldplay
You and I - Ingrid Michaelson

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