Bonnie Kellert
Bio
Bonnie, prior to Phillips Gallery debut, 1966.
Bonnie Kellert is in constant demand as an educator, performer, lecturer, mentor, adjudicator and master class presenter.
Her numerous solo recitals include the National Gallery of Art, Phillips Collection, Cosmos Club, Textile Museum, American University, Howard University, Barker Hall, Rockville Performing Arts, the Lyceum Piano Series, McDaniel College and Strathmore Mansion and abroad in Europe and Thailand. Bonnie has been featured soloist with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra. She has also appeared on radio and television in the U.S. and abroad.
At age nineteen, Bonnie became the youngest first prize winner of the prestigious Washington International Competition for Pianists. She also won the Jordan Piano Award, and was a semi-finalist in the first William Kapell International Piano Competition. She received the WBAL Radio Achievement Award in Baltimore and the Peabody Conservatory Alexander Sklarevski Award. A scholarship student of Leon Fleisher, Bonnie earned her B.M. and M.M. in Piano Performance at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Prior to that, she studied with Alexander Lipsky of New York City and Emerson Meyers of Catholic University of America.
A highly regarded faculty member at the Levine School of Music for 22 years, Bonnie Kellert currently maintains her private studio in Potomac, MD. Bonnie is certified by Music Teachers National Association as a Permanent Professional Certified Teacher of Music in Piano (MTNA NCTM). Her award-winning students have performed in master classes for Ruth Laredo, Susan Starr, Brian Ganz, Marvin Blickenstaff, Leon Bates, Thomas Mastroianni and others. She has been published in Keyboard Companion and the Piano Pedagogy Forum. She has served as president of Washington (D.C.) MTA and Montgomery County MTA. In 2016 she was presented with Steinway’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.
Bonnie has presented master classes that include McDaniel College, the Levine School of Music, Southern New Jersey MTA and the Shanghai Conservatory in Mainland China. Recital-Presentations include for the Levine School of Music, Maryland State Music Teachers Association Convention, Virginia MTA, New England Piano Teachers Association, and local associations of Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Central East Division of the Ohio MTA and Maryland Music Teacher Associations.
Her performances have elicited these comments:
”Miss Kellert is a musician who has command of the keyboard, a brilliant mentality and a dramatic flair balanced by sensitive insight.”
- Ylda Novik, The Evening Star
“Kellert demonstrated her mastery of classical-era fugal intricacies...the pianist seems to have special feeling for Chopin's Polish Zal (soul) music, for there was an ecstatic pulse throughout that only the most sensitive artists can sustain."
- Jerry Floyd, The Washington Times
“All her playing is imbued with unpretentious, unspoiled musicality”
- Alan Kriegsman, The Washington Post
“I have heard your CD and love it. The Bach is so eloquent and done with great authority. Thank you for the gift of your soul.”
- Ann Schein, Pianist
“Bonnie Kellert has worked with me…and has proven to be a most talented and professional young musician.”
- Leon Fleisher, Pianist
More Praise for
Bonnie Kellert
I watched [Steinway sponsored webinar]. It was very good, and you were wonderful. No wonder your students love you.
- Hedy Bannon
Hello Bonnie, You've done it again!!! You are a genius. Your judging sheets are the only ones I keep. You get right to the heart of the matter, and lead us to facets of practice and musicianship that can be addressed and improved. Elizabeth Qiu (Barcarolle) and I thank you for being a one-of-a-kind musician that instructs every time. Thank you so very much. Hope you have a wonderful fall.
- Marjorie Lee
Bonnie you had a wonderful presentation. I got so much out of it and loved the pieces you chose to present along with all the techniques that you utilized…Just a truly amazing morning.
- Carol Brody
Dear Bonnie, Thank you for the wonderful recital this weekend! You and Junko nailed it—it is always a pleasure to hear you. As I said to Junko, you are both welcome at Steinway any time.
- Matt Bachman
Hi Bonnie, Thank you so much for inviting me to your recital and lecture last Friday! You are an amazing teacher and pianist. I was so swept up with emotion from your beautiful piano playing. I struggled not to cry. Please let me know when you’ll have another recital. I would love to hear you play again and if it’s a larger venue, I will absolutely invite my aunt, who trained on piano at the Chicago Conservatory of Music when she was young.
- Sherry Russell
I loved your presentation today.....your playing always is just so special.....your touch and the balance is wonderful....need I say more......that Mendelssohn is so difficult......I used to try to give it to students and finally gave up because they couldn't handle technically the balance necessary or the octaves or the interval tonal balance, etc...........but in your hands, it seemed so easy and that is why you are you......
- Faye Bonner
Many, many thanks for judging the DCFMC. Your comments were some of the best I have see on critique sheets. I know the teachers – and students- will learn much for them. And so did I!
- Barbara Kober
Gerhard and I were in the audience at your benefit concert Friday evening. I always knew you were a fine pianist, but I was unprepared for the profound effect your performance had on those of us who were there. We came away uplifted and deeply moved by your playing. Each of your program choices was utterly satisfying musically and imaginatively, flawlessly performed. We just sat back and lived in the beautiful fantasy of each musical world. It was a sublime moment in time! Thank you. You are a treasure.
- Louise Urban
Dear Bonnie, Your presentation at NEPTA [New England Piano Teachers Association] was super. The members loved it and found it very inspiring, interesting, and useful. Your playing is stunning. I have never heard my piano sound so good, with such variety of tone, color and nuance. … Thank you for such a vibrant two days.
- Shann Wood