Kelly Riggs is a San Francisco Bay Area-based horn player with nearly 20 years of private teaching and performing experience. A San Jose native, Kelly attended Lincoln High School, a performing arts magnet, where she was tutored under the late Anne-Marie Katemopolus (“Miss K”). She sang in multiple choirs and played in several bands and orchestras all four years, including playing with the San Jose Youth Symphony. With Miss K’s encouragement, she decided to attend West Valley College and later San Jose State University as a music education major.

At West Valley, Kelly studied voice weekly with Jennifer Alvarez and horn with Wendell Rider (principal horn San Jose Symphony for 32 years), aiming to double emphasize in vocal performance and horn. She decided to focus on horn playing in college, but continued to study voice on the side and got to perform with the West Valley choir at Carnegie Hall in 2009.

At SJSU, Kelly studied horn under Mathew Croft, Douglas Hull, and Kevin Rivard (co-principal horn player SF Opera) and performed in master classes by Phil Myers (principal horn New York Philharmonic for 37 years) and Bernhard Scully (Canadian Brass). She also earned the Rosetrina Flaig Scholarship, which recognizes a promising arts educator.

During her college years, she started teaching privately and performing, which she has continued to do ever since.

After earning her Bachelor’s of Music degree, Kelly went on to receive her teaching credential in music. She spent the next 10 years teaching general music in public elementary schools, then served as the traditional music director at her church.

Currently, Kelly is teaching her private students over Zoom or in-person at her studio in San Jose so she can be with her growing family.