Sean Kelly, bassist: bio

		Sean Kelly, bassist Growing up in a musical family, Sean received piano lessons at an early age from his mother, an excellent sight reader, and also from his father, a blues pianist who couldn't read a note. In 1980 Sean earned a Masters in Music from Indiana University where he studied with Murray Grodner, who played under Toscanini in the NBC Orchestra, and Eugene Levinson, principal bassist with the New York Philharmonic. Feeling at home in a broad range of musical styles, upright bassist Sean Kelly has been called a “musician’s musician.” After leaving home as a teenager to play music in Austin, Texas, he toured with orchestras in Europe and rock bands in Japan. Currently, Sean is a member of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra where he has had the opportunity to accompany many great musicians, from Yo Yo Ma to the Moody Blues. As a freelancer, Sean has played bass for Glen Campbell, Tom Scott and Ronny Cox. He regularly performs and records with Kerrville New Folk winners, John William Davis and Annie Gallup, and frequently tours with singer/songwriter Andrew McKnight and others.

		Selected Work Experience: Classical -Boulder Philharmonic: section bassist, Boulder, Colorado, 1999-present -Denver Symphony: substitute section bassist, Denver, Colorado, 1981-1982 -Hofer Symphoniker, section bassist, Hof, Bavaria, West Germany, 1980-1981 Popular -Annie Gallup, singer/songwriter (string bass and electric bass): North American tours, 2004-present; recording Half of My Crime, 2006 -John William Davis, singer/songwriter (string bass): US tours, 2000-present; recordings Dreams of the Lost Tribe, 2002, and Revelation Land, 2004 -The All Nighters, Top 40 band (electric bass): Japanese tour, 1986 Education -Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, Masters in String Bass, 1980 -Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, Bachelor in Music Education, 1978, Phi Kappa Phi Instructors -Dale Bruning (guitarist for Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Golson): Denver, Colorado, 2002-present -Eugene Levinson (principal bassist New York Philharmonic): Bloomington, Indiana, 1978 -Murray Grodner (bassist with NBC Orchestra under Arturo Toscinini): Bloomington, Indiana, 1978-1980
photos by Reggie Barrett

“I started playing string bass as a teenager, first in community orchestras, then later in professional orchestras, both here and abroad. I played electric bass in garage bands, and then in touring bands: Austin to Tokyo. As a member of various orchestras I’ve had the chance to play with some great musicians: Glen Campbell, The Moody Blues, Tom Scott, Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman... And I can honestly say that, thirty years into it, I’m still just as inspired as I was in the beginning -- I wake up each morning looking forward to practicing this challenging instrument and to the next performance.” - Sean Kelly