BIOGRAPHY

Composer, Audio Engineer and Musician Kaelis Ash developed an interest in composing as a result of attending several national clinics and competitions while in high school. Kaelis is grateful to Mark Minton, his encouraging band director, who allowed Kaelis to premiere a set of pieces for wind ensemble for his senior project. 

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While still in high school Kaelis wrote and premiered his first ever set of pieces as part of his senior project. This experience would cement his desire to compose music, particularly literature for large ensembles. Before college, Kaelis was lucky enough to study with Dr. Thomas Stone, a local composer and owner of Maestro and Fox Music. Today Kaelis receives guidance and critique from both Dr. Stone and Mr. Minton on his compositions, while he actively studies with Dr. Thomas Wilson.

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Kaelis has had the fortune of receiving guidance from a few other larger names, most notably in his meeting with popular wind ensemble composer and professor of composition at the University of Southern California, Dr. Frank Ticheli. Kaelis was invited to Dr. Ticheli's home in the summer of 2018 where he received guidance and direction on his journey. 

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Originally from the small town of Bernice, LA, Kaelis discovered his passion for composing in the Shreveport-Bossier area. Kaelis Pursued and received a BA in Music Industry Studies at Louisiana Tech University. In his time there, the Louisiana Tech University Symphonic Wind Ensemble premiered a piece of Kaelis’s each year. In his final year, Kaelis spearheaded and organized LA Techs first student lead Brass Choir "Ever Loyal Brass". The Brass Choir performed three new works of his, and all other works performed were arranged by Kaelis. Within a smaller group, Kaelis was part of the student organized "Ever Loyal Brass Quintet" which traveled to several small schools throughout the year to perform for prospective LA Tech students. The Quintet would also take part in Kaelis's senior capstone project "Music For Brass" featuring Dakova Becks, Kaelis himself, Kate Haas, Christopher Broome, and Daniel Wesson. The work features classic literature for Brass Quintet, and an original work "Madcap" for brass quintet written by Kaelis.

 

Currently, Kaelis is based in the Shreveport Bossier area and is actively improving and seeking new opportunities to expand his works. Kaelis has commissioned works for several groups, including small and large ensembles. His latest work "Landscapes" is to be premiered by the Parkway Highschool Wind Ensemble in the near future.