Composer: Jim Kelsey

Jim Kelsey is a native of eastern Washington. He holds a Bachelor's of Music Education degree from Eastern Washington University and a Masters in Music Theory/Composition degree from Central Washington University. In the professional community, Mr. Kelsey is sought after as an accompanist, clinician, educator and composer. Mr. Kelsey has been a piano adjudicator for the National Federation of Music Clubs, regional Solo/Ensemble Contests, the Arrow Lumber Piano Competitions, and the Washington State Homeschool Band Festival. As a composer, Mr. Kelsey has written forty-one opuses and is published through Wehr House Music of Florida, Michigan Prairie Music, and Broadbent and Dunn of Great Britain. His current post is the Director of Music at Columbia Junior High in the Fife School District. Mr. Kelsey has established a band and choral program that is one of the finest and most active in the Northwest. Concert, marching and jazz groups regularly perform for local events, as well as touring annually throughout Washington and Oregon . In 2000, 2002, and 2004 Mr. Kelsey was nominated into the Who's Who Among America's Teachers. In 2005, he was selected as Fife School District's Teacher of the Year. Outside of CJH, he conducts The Jazz Disciples, a jazz band based out of Life Center Church in Tacoma and has taught adult piano through Pierce College's extended learning program. His hobbies include spending time with his family, kite flying, camping, model aircraft building and design, and antique automobiles. His principle teachers were David Rostkoski (piano - EWU), Wendal Jones (composition - EWU), Vijay Singh (composition - CWU), and Greg Youtz (composition - PLU)