Noah Kellman

Noah began studying jazz in 2003 with pianist Rick Montalbano, who would soon introduce him to many of his main jazz piano influences, such as Bill Evans, Brad Mehldau, and Wynton Kelly. In 2008, he was named Best High School Jazz Soloist in the nation by Downbeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards. He continued to grow and study with Rick until 2009, when he was informed of his acceptance to the prestigious Brubeck Fellowship Program, where he is currently studying with pianist and composer Joe Gilman.

Noah is a believer in high energy and pure devotion to the music at any given moment. While the piano is greatly important to him, he understands that it is his vehicle for creativity and imagination, as well as a very useful tool for composing. In 2008, he had the honor of being an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer and attended an award ceremony at Lincoln Center where he met many young artists and composers, as well as legends, such as Ron Carter and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

His compositions test the boundaries of jazz, drawing from eclectic influences. When composing, Noah often writes with different goals in mind. At times he may write to test his own ability to draw from an influence outside of jazz and incorporate it successfully into jazz without losing its intrinsic characteristics. At other times, he may simply compose based on emotion. Much of his original influence outside of jazz stems from the classical music that his father used to play on the piano when he was no more than 10 years old. Some of the composers he first grew to love include Beethoven, and Chopin, while his recent favorites include Rachmoninov and Debussy. Noah currently studies classical piano with pianist and innovator Andrew Russo.

While Noah’s ability to create music is impressive for an artist of his age, he understands that the skill to express one’s self through music comes through great devotion, hard work and deep understanding of music as a whole, but even more importantly, from the energy and support of those who love to listen. In 2009, after attending the GRAMMYS as the Jazz Ensembles combo pianist, he initiated a program at his high school where he and fellow attendee of the Brubeck Institute Nick Frenay reached out to the younger students and began exposing them to jazz and new musical influences. After gaining so much invaluable knowledge at educational programs throughout the country, it only seems right to continue passing this knowledge on to others and helping them develop their own unique voices in music. Noah plans to continue his innovation in the educational world as well, developing new concepts for spreading innovative ideas and inspiration to those who least expect it.

The first jazz camp Noah ever attended was the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation’s Jazz Camp in Syracuse. He continued on to the Skidmore Jazz Institute for 4 years, as well as being a part of the Brubeck Summer Jazz Colony three times, where he worked with artists such as Terence Blanchard, Taylor Eigsti, Geoffrey Keezer, and Hal Crook. He also attended the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop with Terri Lyne Carrington in 2006. Subsequent to the Berklee Workshop, he attended the Vail Jazz Workshop that same summer, where he worked with The Clayton Brothers, Bill Cunliffe, Lewis Nash, and Terrell Stafford.

Many of Noah’s latest influences include current young performers who are taking music in new and unexpected directions, such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Ambrose Akinmusire.

In the end, it is important to remember that no music comes without the support of the listener. Noah was fortunate enough to grow up with an extremely supportive community in Central New York, and a wonderfully encouraging family, but most importantly, two loving and supportive parents and a brother who always encouraged him to pursue music to its fullest and helped him along the way.