Kelli Horton Piano

Kelli Horton

Pianist. Educator. Collaborator.

Kelli Horton, a native of Savannah, Georgia, is an internationally acclaimed pianist, educator, and collaborator whose career has spanned diverse cultural and musical landscapes. Her work has taken her to countries including India, Ireland, England, France, Cambodia, Nepal, and Indonesia, where she has left a mark through both performance and teaching.

Ms. Horton holds a Master’s Degree in Keyboard Collaborative Arts from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance with an emphasis in Pedagogy from Columbus State University. Her career is marked by her extensive collaboration with prominent conductors such as Cristian Grases, Jo-Michael Scheibe, Nick Strimple, Rodney Eichenberger, Keitaro Harada, and George Del Gobbo. She has also been a sought-after studio pianist for renowned pedagogues including Thomas Bogdan, Cynthia Munzer, Rod Gilfry, Gary Glaze, and Shigemi Matsumoto.

Her performance credits include appearances with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale, I Cantori Choral Ensemble, Savannah Philharmonic, Spectra Choir, Safonia Treble Choir, and the Dore Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Additionally, she has worked with various regional theatre companies and has been featured in films such as The Last Song and The Conspirator.

Ms. Horton’s passion for education is reflected in her roles at esteemed institutions such as Woodstock School in India, Bennington College in Vermont, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. She has had the privilege of teaching notable figures including Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, and Justin Long. She served as the Director of Piano Studies and Music Department Chair at Savannah Arts Academy in Savannah, Georgia and is a certified K-12 music educator. Ms. Horton now directs KH Piano Academy in Denver, Colorado.

Her current research focuses on mindful movement at the instrument and beyond, a pursuit that informs both her teaching and performance. Additionally, Ms Horton is committed to promoting the music of Women and underrepresented voices. Ms. Horton is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, Yoga Alliance, the Association for Body Mapping Educators, Women in Music, and Central Park Business Association. She serves on the Board of the Denver Area Music Teachers Association as VP of Programs, the advisory council of the Colorado State Music Teachers Association, the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra, and is a Steinway Teacher & Educator Partner.

  • Savannah Arts Academy for Visual and Performing Arts | Savannah, Georgia, USA
    Music Department Chair and Director of Piano Studies

    • Comprised of 46 piano majors and 60 non-piano music majors

    • Courses taught included: advanced group piano courses I, II, III, IV, individual lessons, collaborative piano, music appreciation and beginning group piano.

    • Grant & Fundraising which included the purchase of 16 new pianos

    • Restructured the department programming to include an annual PianoFest, Masterclasses and Artist Residencies with performers and pedagogues from around the nation, Internships for students with professional ensembles and organizations, a highlighted annual Double Piano Concert, Collaborations within the Academy with Dance, Visual Arts, Theatre, Choral, and Orchestra Departments, and secured accompanying partnerships for students with ensembles and performers throughout the region.

    Woodstock School | Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India
    Piano Faculty

    • Courses taught included: Elementary Class (Group) Piano, Individual Lessons (Grades 6-12), Music Theory, Aural Skills, Piano Ensemble

    • Accompanied the Choirs, Instrument Chamber Groups & Solos, played for Staff and Student Musical Theatre

    Private Studio | Los Angeles, California & Savannah, Georgia, USA
    Piano Instructor

    • Private & Group Classes for ages 4 through adult

    • Summer Camps focused on topics from instrument making to performance

    Bennington College | Bennington, Vermont, USA
    Piano Instructor, Vocal Coach

    • Courses taught included: Advanced and Beginning Keyboard Lab

    • Vocal studio accompanist

    University of Southern California | Los angeles, California, USA
    Teaching Assistant & Accompanist

    • Courses taught included: Advanced Group Piano Courses and Private Piano Lessons

    • Accompanied the Choirs, Vocalists and Instrumentalists

  • COLLABORATIVE PIANIST

    • SAFONIA TREBLE CHOIR, Denver, Colorado (2024-present)

    • SPECTRA CHOIR, Savannah, Georgia (2022-2024)

    • SAVANNAH PHILHARMONIC, Savannah, Georgia (2010, 2014-2015, 2020-2024)

    • BARNSLEY YOUTH CHOIR, pianist and vocal coach, Barnsley, England (2017-2018)

    • REBECCA FLAHERTY, soprano, partnership, Georgia (2015-2017)

    • SAVANNAH CHILDREN'S CHOIR, Savannah, Georgia (2014-2016)

    • INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS, Summer Arts Camp Collaborative Pianist, Michigan (2012, 2013)

    • UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Collaborative Pianist, Los Angeles, California (2011-2013) Voice Studios: Ken Cazan, Rod Gilfry, Gary Glaze, Cynthia Munzer, Instrumental Studios: clarinetist Yehuda Gilad, David Howard, cellist Ralph Kirshbaum, Concert Choir under the baton of Cristian Grases, Choral Masterclasses under the baton of Jo-Michael Scheibe

    • LOS ANGELES ZIMRIYAH CHORALE, under the baton of Nick Strimple (2012)

    • PACIFIC SOUTHWEST INTERCOLLEGIATE CHORAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CHORAL FESTIVAL, Los Angeles, California (2012)

    • SAN DIMAS MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR, San Dimas, California (2012)

    • ARMSTRONG ATLANTIC STATE UNIVERSITY, Staff Accompanist, Savannah, Georgia (2007-2011) University Chorale and Chamber Choir under the baton of Robert Harris, Voice Studios: Robert Harris, Instrumental Studios: bassoonist Raymond Patricio, clarinetist John Reams, flutist Lorraine Jones, French Hornist Jessica Garcia, percussionist Stephen Primatic, saxophonist Randall Reese, tubist Scott Bozeman, Class Voice under the direction of Cynthia Schultz

    FILM

    • THE LAST SONG, Disney (Julie Anne Robinson, director) (2009) Piano Teacher to Miley Cyrus and Greg Kinnear, Miley Cyrus' Hand Double, Music Consultant

    • THE CONSPIRATOR, American Film Company (Robert Redford, director) (2009) Voice and Piano Coach to Justin Long, Recorded Parlour scene Soundtrack, Music Consultant

    THEATRE

    • SOUTHEY MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY, Sheffield, England: Monty Python's Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

    • SPLINTERS THEATRE GROUP, Sheffield, England: West Side Story

    • DORE GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETY, Sheffield, England: The Scorecer, Trial by Jury

    • ASBURY MEMORIAL THEATRE, Savannah, Georgia: H.M.S. Pinafore, The Fantasticks, Cotton Patch Gospel, The Pirates of Penzance

    • MUSE ARTS WAREHOUSE, Savannah, Georgia: The Last Five Years

    • SAVANNAH THEATRE, Savannah Georgia: We’ll Meet Again (world premier), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

    • LITTLE THEATHRE OF SAVANNAH, Savannah, Georgia: Company, Urinetown

    • MUSIC TEACHERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Member, Past President of Savannah, Georgia Chapter

    • DENVER AREA MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, Vice President of Programs

    • ASSOCIATION FOR BODY MAPPING EDUCATORS, Member

    • YOGA ALLIANCE, Member, 200 Hour Certified Yoga Instructor & Trauma Informed Facilitator

    • DENVER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, Board Member

    • D.U.E.T KIDS, Board member

  • MUSIC INSTRUCTORS

    • HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL SITAR, Aloke Maiti

    • VOICE, Thomas Bogdan, Tegan Miller

    • CLARINET, John Warren, Lisa Oberlander

    • SAXOPHONE, Randall Reese, Jimmy Heath

    OTHER

    • ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE and BODY MAPPING, Colorado University Boulder

    • BODY MAPPING Workshop, Dr. Andree Martin

    • TAUBMAN APPROACH, Effortless Artistry Music

    • GRADUATE CERTIFICATE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, University of Colorado Denver

    • TRAUMA CENTER-TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA Foundational Training

    • 200 HR YOGA TEACHER CERTIFICATION, Rishikul Yogshala

    • NADA YOGA & TIBETAN SINGING BOWLS MASTER CERTIFICATION, Satyam Shivam Sundaram Meditation School

    • Honored Listee in Who’s Who in American Music Educators

    • McDonalds Golden Grant for Women in Music Project

    • University of Southern California Thornton School of Music Teaching Assistantship

    • Steinway Piano Galleries Educator Grant

    • University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award

    • INTER HOUSE MUSIC COMPETITION, The Doon School, Dehradun, India

    • RAMAMURTHI MEMORIAL PERFORMING ARTS COMPETITION, Hopetown Girls' School, Dehradun, India

    • PIANO DEPARTMENT EXAMS AND AUDITIONS, Garrison Performing Arts School, Savannah, Georgia

    • Royal Conservatory of Music Multiple First Class Honors

    • Brevard Summer Music Program and Scholarship Recipient

    • Bach Ascending Scholarship Recipient

    • The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music: Diplomas, Distinction and Merit Awards

    • The Olga and Jules Craen Foundation's Young Musician of the Year (India), Finalist

    • Georgia Music Educator's Association Composition Award

    • Numerous University & College Music Major Scholarships and Admittance