Music Director, Teacher, Guest Conductor & Clinician

Dr. Christopher Kelts is Director of Orchestral Studies and Associate Professor of Music at Missouri State University.  Concurrently, Chris is the music director and conductor of the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Kinnor Philharmonic Orchestra and newly minted Music Director/Conductor of the Saint Joseph Symphony.

A native of St. Louis, Dr. Kelts has been the recipient of the “Arts for Life” Award for his musical direction in local theater, served as guest conductor for the St. Louis Suburban Honors Orchestra and clinician to many St. Louis School Districts. He continues to be an active guest conductor and clinician for many districts and honor orchestra program throughout the United States.  Conducting engagements has taken Chris throughout the region and the world.  Most recent, Project Musica gave a performance at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea in May of 2016.Other conducting engagements have included: assistant conductor of the Kansas City Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of the Ozarks, Topeka Symphony Orchestra and the Urban Cultural Project (Kansas City).

Dr. Kelts completed his advanced conducting degrees at Illinois State University and University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, Dance and Theater. His teachers have included Glenn Block, Robert Olson and Paul Vermel. While at UMKC and in Kansas City, Chris maintained an active opera conducting schedule that included productions of; Le nozze di Figaro, Il Ritorno di Ulisses in Patria, Susannah, Pirates of Penzance, Hansel und Gretel, Guilio Cesare, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi and as well as the world premiere of Tonatzin. Chris has worked with stage directors, Linda Ade Brand, the late Marciem Bazell, Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins and Richard Gammon.Not limited to his studies in orchestral conducting, Dr. Kelts formally trained as a violist where he studied at Missouri State University and Illinois State University. Dr. Kelts has ample symphonic experience as a violist. Recent positions have included; Springfield (MO) Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Symphony, Opera of Illinois Orchestra and the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra. His teachers have included Amy Muchnick, Kate Hamilton and the late Karen Tuttle. Chris Kelts continues to perform in various chamber and orchestral ensembles.

Dr. Kelts teaches at Missouri State University Department of Music’s summer string festival, String Fling, coaching participating high and middle school students in the art of chamber music and orchestral performance.  Christopher Kelts is a member of the Conductor’s Guild, College Orchestra Director's Association (CODA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) and is Missouri State University faculty advisor for Mu Phi Epsilon-Alpha Mu Chapter.