Cellist Kelly Knox is known for her versatility as a performer and educator, with a deep commitment to forming connections through music. A recent Boston resident, Kelly joined The Portland String Quartet in the summer of 2024 and has been invited to perform throughout New England with various ensembles, including the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

Before relocating to Boston, Kelly completed her tenure with The Orchestra Now in New York, where she served as principal cello under renowned conductors including Fabio Luisi, Hans Graf, Leonard Slatkin, and Joseph Young. She has been featured as a soloist and chamber musician on 98.7 WFMT - Chicago’s Classical Radio Station, at Stanford University’s Bing Concert Hall, on the Albany Symphony’s Chamber Music Series, and as the cellist for Haydn's Cello Concerto in D Major with the St. Philip Neri Chamber Players.

Kelly has had the privilege of performing chamber recitals and orchestral concerts in Italy, China, Ecuador, Peru, and across the United States in illustrious venues including Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center, and the Haikou Bay Performing Arts Center, where she was part of an inaugural performance with Grammy-winning composer and conductor Tan Dun. Her orchestral experience also includes previous contracts with the Evansville Philharmonic, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. Kelly’s recording and film credits feature an appearance in Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-nominated film Maestro and an orchestral project with viral singer-songwriter JVKE in collaboration with Microsoft.

In 2017, Kelly co-founded MúsicaOcupa, an international chamber music festival in Quito, Ecuador, dedicated to democratizing classical music through innovative performances in unconventional spaces. As the Didactic Outreach Coordinator and a performing artist, she played a pivotal role in organizing, executing, and performing in educational experiences, concerts, and masterclasses in both English and Spanish.

With over 16 years of teaching experience, Kelly has shared her love and knowledge of the cello through private lessons, group classes, and masterclasses to students ranging from age 5 to 70+. She completed her pedagogy training in violin and cello with Mimi Zweig, Susan Moses, and Helen Shively Ford at Indiana University’s prestigious String Academy, where she also served as Faculty Cello Instructor. Currently, Kelly teaches at All Newton Music School and Note-worthy Experiences, where she works with cellists of all levels and backgrounds.

Kelly holds a Performance Diploma and a Master’s Degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she studied under Peter Stumpf. She also earned an additional Master’s Degree from Bard College, and completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts.