Kelcey Howell attends the 2023 TSM Academy courtesy of the Lorna Marsden Fellowship.

Hometown: Denver, Colorado 

Kelcey Howell recently graduated with a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Timothy Eddy. Originally from Colorado, she began taking cello lessons with James Todd and Silver Ainomäe, and earned her bachelor’s degree as a student of Matthew Zalkind at the University of Denver. As a member of the Juilliard Orchestra and student chamber music ensembles, Kelcey has given performances across New York City in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and throughout Lincoln Center. Highlights of her time at the University of Denver include performing in masterclasses for Yo-Yo Ma and Lynn Harrell, winning the school-wide solo and chamber music competitions, and playing regularly as a substitute cellist in the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

As a soloist, Kelcey has enjoyed performing cello concerti with ensembles throughout Colorado and Montana, most recently the Boulder Philharmonic, Stratus Chamber Orchestra, Jefferson Symphony, Lamont Symphony, and Denver Young Artists Orchestra. She has felt fortunate to complete further studies as a fellow at the Aspen, Olympic, and Scotia Music Festivals, Music Academy of the West, Heifetz Institute, Bach Virtuosi Festival, and New York String Orchestra Seminar. She began pursuing further graduate study at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2022, and has since enjoyed serving as the principal cellist of the Thornton Symphony and recording as a studio soundtrack musician in Los Angeles.