He has performed everything from lead trumpet at New York’s famed Birdland jazz club to natural trumpet in Bad Säckingen, Germany; and from cornet with the Birmingham Royal Ballet to improvised free jazz in Bangkok, Thailand. Kelly has released four albums as a leader and has appeared on over40 recordings as a sideman. A steadfast champion of new music, he has premiered compositions by Dave Douglas, Denis Colin, Peter Knight, Stephanie Richards and numerous other musicians’ works. His own compositions, incorporating improvisational and contemporary avant-garde techniques, have been commissioned, performed and recorded by individual artists and large organizations alike. Kelly’s works have premiered at the Spark Festival of Electronic Music and Arts, the Society of Composers, Inc.’s conference and multiple International Trumpet Guild conferences, including Minneapolis, MN,Columbus, GA, and Sydney, Australia. He has provided original scores for both film and dance and has received support from the American Composers Forum and the Jerome Foundation.