Introducing our Piano adjudicator

Lauren Kelly

Joining us from Vancouver BC where she maintains a full and vibrant studio of enthusiastic and high-achieving piano students, Lauren Kelly is a respected solo and collaborative pianist, chamber musician, clinician, adjudicator and teacher. Many countries are also represented in Lauren's private studio through her international online students who have won awards virtually from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, the UK, and all over the United States and Canada. Light-hearted silliness and a keen sense of wit are a large draw for Lauren's students, and it's not uncommon to hear laughter through the door and Lauren incorporating humor into her signature "firm but fun" teaching style. 

The renowned Helen Silvester was Lauren's first piano teacher in Penticton BC. For 20 years following her start at the age of 6, Lauren then continued studies with many significant pedagogues including her principal teacher May Ling Kwok, and also Winifred and Dr. Robin Wood with whom she studied at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, achieving an ARCT in Performance from the RCM, and then during the Camosun College Artist Diploma Program where she earned an AVCM in both Pedagogy and Performance, and then whilst obtaining a Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Victoria. Lauren next went on to earn a Master of Music in Performance from the University of British Columbia where she studied with Miranda Wong, and in master class with Rena Sharon and Jane Coop. 

Several summers Lauren attended the Banff Centre for the Arts on scholarship and also Orford Musique in Quebec where she recorded Chopin's Sonata Op. 58 No. 3 in B Minor  In 2003, she was awarded a generous grant to spend several seasons as an Artist in Residence back at the Banff Centre as the only Canadian pianist, and in 2004, studied at the prestigious Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, performing throughout Italy. In these programs Lauren worked with and closely observed many internationally respected teachers including Kum Sing Lee, Jon Kimura Parker, Angela Hewitt, and Leon Fleisher, just to name a few. 

Culminating all of this rich musical experience into her own unique and personalized program, Lauren's heart is most at home with her beloved private students, passing on to them what she has been so fortunate to absorb. She finds great joy in sharing her teachings and students' performances through her vibrant and robust social media and though she wouldn't say it herself, some might even call Lauren an "influencer" @pianolessonsvancouver on Facebook and Instagram with a collective 200K followers.

Lauren's latest exciting endeavour is her brand new Teach Me To Teach Society™ where she mentors other Piano Teachers virtually, with members in 15 countries so far since its official kickoff in July 2023. 

When she's not behind or beside a keyboard, you'll find Lauren traveling the world, either scuba-diving on the Barrier Reef, cage-diving with great whites in South Africa, trekking with the mountain gorillas in Uganda, marveling at the volcanoes in Iceland, butchering her German in Berlin, perfecting her tan in Fiji, or where she's happiest of all, cozied-up at home with her two cats (Studio Mascots) Brandon & Shiloh, devouring music and marketing podcasts and enjoying the fresh BC coastal air.