PATRICK KELLY L.R.S.M. L.T.C.L. A.R.A.M. A.R.C.M.

Founder and Musical Director of
B.Y.J.O. ~ PENDULUM JAZZ ORCHESTRA

• Patrick Kelly is probably best known for his work as a Jazz Educator and as the Musical Director of the internationally acclaimed Berkshire Youth Jazz Orchestra which he founded thirty years ago at the request of young musicians, music students and colleagues in the profession as a much-needed creative outlet for young people. There was no existing facility in any of the schools, colleges or universities in the area offering the opportunity to young people to explore and broaden their creativity and musicianship, so be believed it was an extremely important step to take and he still holds firm that belief..

• As a professional musician Patrick performed both in Orchestras and Big Bands while still in his late teens. He studied Trombone, Harmony and Composition first at Trinity College of Music and then at the Royal College of Music. Opera and Jazz have always been his two great loves having been brought up in the atmosphere and tradition of both musical genres.

• After leaving college he took the position of co-principal trombone at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He then performed in successive Seasons for English National Opera; Sadlers Wells Opera; The Royal Ballet; Welsh Opera; The London Symphony Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. At Covent Garden, he played for Marie Callas and for the ballet’s eminent performers Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev.

• While at Covent Garden and performing with English National Opera, Patrick took his letters and formed an excellent Jazz Combo within the Orchestra, for which he composed. The composition he entered won him a scholarship to study Jazz for two years at the Institute for the Arts in New York.

• On his return from the USA, he performed as a freelance musician with the major orchestras for their London Seasons and for their national tours, as well as playing in most of the West End theatres, most frequently The London Palladium. During this period he played for noted stars Sammy Davies Jnr, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett. On the Jazz scene, he worked with many small groups and ensembles including Tubby Hayes Band; John Dankworth Band; Tony Russell Jazz Orchestra and the BBC Radio Big Band.

• At the time Patrick founded B.Y.J.O. he was Head of Brass for the County of Berkshire and he spent three years teaching in this capacity. Due to a personal demand, he decided to return to the Music profession full time as a freelance musician but he continued to remain in Music education, which is very dear to him, by teaching at Sixth-form Colleges and coaching the Leighton Park Jazz Ensembles

• In 1991 Patrick was approached and appointed Director of Music at Bearwood College, Wokingham, a large independent boarding school for boys, a full-time teaching post with responsibilities encompassing the full musical repertoire in all idioms. Patrick developed the choral repertoire of the School for the required musical support for the daily services held in the College chapel. In 1992 he was chosen to be the Musical Director for the annual service held in St Paul’s, London for the combined choirs, comprising two hundred choristers, from the Royal Naval Schools in the UK, composing the music for Choir and Wind Orchestra for the service, in the presence of members of the Royal Family. The following year, Patrick was requested to compose the music for the official visit to the school by Her Majesty, The Queen. During this period he established choirs and ensembles, for the young musicians in all years at Bearwood College, which flourished in every musical idiom.

• After a wholly successful time in the post of Director of Music, he left to concentrate his time and energies on composition and directing Jazz Orchestras throughout the UK and at the same raising the profile of the Orchestra. He took up a post of visiting Lecturer on Jazz in Education at the University of Reading and continued in his position at Leighton Park School coaching the Jazz Ensembles. It has always been of great importance to Patrick to encourage the young in the Jazz idiom.

• Patrick is a member of the I.A.J.E. – The Independent Association of Jazz Educators – and has been acknowledged as one of the leading Jazz Educators in the UK. His philosophy of education encompasses all styles of Music, from Opera and Symphonic through to and including all styles of Jazz and Free music. He is a strong believer in opening the eyes, expanding the horizons and increasing the awareness of young musicians through Jazz Education.

• Patrick is working extensively with the UK’s top Jazz names in performance, recording and education – Peter King, Don Weller, Ken Wheeler, Gerard Presencer, Julian Arguelles, Andy Cleyndert, Ben Castle, Mornington Lockett, Henry Lowther, Clark Tracey, Nikki Iles, Stan Sulzmann, Mark Lockheart , Geoff Gascoigne and Steve Waterman.

• He is at present heavily involved in directing and recording for an international Jazz Ensemble and is in the process of composing a large work for combined musical forces. He is also organising the preparation for the recording of a second double-album of Pendulum.