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Kelly Corcoran

Conducting

The 2010/11 season marks Associate Conductor Kelly Corcoran's fourth season with the Nashville Symphony. During this time, she has conducted a variety of programs, including the Symphony's SunTrust Classical Series and Bank of America Pops Series, and has served as the primary conductor for the orchestra's education and community engagement concerts. She also conducted the Nashville Symphony's CD collaboration with Riders In The Sky, “'Lassoed Live' at the Schermerhorn”, which was awarded Album of the Year in 2010 by the Western Music Association.

Corcoran makes her debut this season with the Colorado Symphony, Houston Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Springfield Symphony (MO) and the Murfreesboro Symphony.     She has conducted orchestras throughout the country, including performances with the Milwaukee, Detroit, Charlotte, Memphis and National Symphonies as well as the Naples (FL) Philharmonic with return engagements. In 2009, she made her successful South American debut as a guest conductor with the Orquesta Sinfónica UNCuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. She has developed a reputation for exciting, energized performances. The Tennessean hailed her work on the podium as "lively" and "fresh," while Green Bay Press-Gazette noted that "her smooth conducting style flashed dynamism when need be."  

Named as Honorable Mention for the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship, Corcoran conducted the Bournemouth (UK) Symphony in January 2008 and studied with Marin Alsop. Prior to her position in Nashville, she completed three seasons as assistant conductor for the Canton Symphony Orchestra in Ohio and music director of the Canton Youth Symphony and the Cleveland-area Heights Chamber Orchestra. During the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, Corcoran competed in the VIII Cadaqués Orchestra International Conducting Competition in Spain; worked with the Cleveland Opera and attended the Lucerne Festival's master class in conducting, focusing on contemporary orchestral literature with Pierre Boulez.

In 2004, Corcoran participated in the selective National Conducting Institute, where she studied with her mentor, Leonard Slatkin.  She has held additional past posts as assistant music director of the Nashville Opera, founder/music director of the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra and fellow with the New World Symphony where she worked with Michael Tilson Thomas.  
Originally from Massachusetts and a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for more than 10 years, Corcoran received her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from The Boston Conservatory. She received her Master of Music in instrumental conducting from Indiana University. Corcoran currently serves on the conducting faculty at Tennessee State University.

Contact Ms. Corcoran