Irish conductor Elaine Kelly on her Grammy nomination and challenging tradition in classical music

Speaking of her nomination, Elaine said, “Being recognised by the Grammys, especially as an Irish artist in a field where there are only a handful of classical Grammy-nominated artists, is fantastic. It’s such a universal acknowledgement of music, and to be a part of that is a dream come true. I’ve watched the Grammys with my family in Cork for as long as I can remember. Now, to be in that room, representing the rich talent that Ireland has to offer is beyond exciting.” From her first foray into operatic conducting to the growing recognition of women in classical music, Elaine shares more about her career journey to date with us below. 

I always knew I wanted to be part of the music world, but I never imagined I’d end up conducting.

I started playing the violin at age three, but it wasn’t until college that I considered conducting seriously. A pivotal moment came during a summer in the U.S. when I saw my first female orchestral conductor—it made me realise this was something I could pursue and truly wanted to do. From then on, I was hooked, drawn to the collaborative and dynamic nature of conducting. 

I studied music in college.

I did the BMus degree at the Cork School of Music, where I later pursued a Master’s in Conducting. 

My most formative work experience was my time at the Irish National Opera Studio, which was a turning point for me.

Coming from a background in choral and symphonic conducting, I decided to give opera a year to see where it might lead and it completely changed everything. I got to work on a huge range of repertoire as an assistant conductor and even had the chance to conduct contemporary operas, which I’m especially passionate about. Every production pushed me to grow in new ways, both artistically and technically. That year opened the door to the incredible world of opera, and it led to me becoming Resident Conductor. Five years later, I’m still obsessed!