Biography
Kelly Connell is a conductor and music educator with over 12 years of experience leading ensembles across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Her pedagogical approach is shaped by a career spanning diverse socioeconomic communities—from building a music department from scratch as a first-year teacher in a Title I charter school in Massachusetts to her leadership within the premier 6A band programs of Aldine, Klein, and Conroe ISDs in the Houston area. These environments have refined a directing style that is as adaptable as it is rigorous. A steadfast advocate for the arts, Kelly operates on the core belief that music is a transformative force for good in the world.
Kelly has a reputation for leading students to consistent success at festivals, competitions, and evaluations. Every band under her direction has earned superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation, and her students have consistently won top honors at local, regional, state, and national festivals. She has earned the Recognized Designation through the Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment, the Aldine ISD Teacher of the Year award, Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award, and was recently featured in Voyage Houston and ShoutOut HTX for her work.
In addition to directing, Kelly is an active clinician and adjudicator, collaborating with band programs on topics such as rehearsal techniques, instrument pedagogy, curriculum pacing, and program management. She has researched and presented on several music education topics, both domestically and internationally, including band director burnout, flute pedagogy, and music literacy in the beginner and intermediate band curricula. She is a portfolio assessor for The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and serves on the Content Advisory Committee for the TEA Texas Educator Certification Examination for Music.
Kelly believes the baton should be passed, not guarded. With extensive experience collaborating with novice directors across Houston, working together to navigate professional challenges, unlock creative potential, and build a more supportive and equitable future for music education in an ever-changing world. She is dedicated to helping her colleagues thrive!
A National Board-Certified Teacher in Music-Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood Band, Kelly holds a Master’s degree in Music Education from the American Band College at Central Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, with concentrations in instrumental music and urban education, and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Rights Studies, with a minor in philosophy and honors, from the University of Dayton. Kelly will pursue a Doctorate in Wind Conducting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, this fall. Her appointment includes serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Division of Wind Band Studies and Conducting Assistant to Thomas G. Leslie.
Ultimately, Kelly’s approach focuses on fundamental quality sounds and technical precision, with infusions of playfulness, intentionally selected repertoire, and the utilization of music to connect students to the world and beyond!