KELLYANN CHESTER-OUELLETTE
1989 Cum Laude Graduate, Bachelor of Science in Education Degree in Music Education
Central Connecticut State University, 1989
♪ 3-Year College Music Scholarship Recipient ♪
♪ 3-Year Dean's List Recipient ♪
♪ 3-Year Academic All-American ♪
♪ Inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, a National Education National Honor Society ♪
Kellyann attended the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and Ithaca College before graduating from Central CT State University. She studied both Classical & Jazz music on flute, piccolo, oboe, alto and soprano saxophones, and clarinet. She studied flute with Lauren Weiss of New York City, Nina Barwell of the Boston area, Georgetta Maiolo at Ithaca College, Sharon Davis, Retired Music Department Head and Flute Professor at Central Connecticut State Univ., and Jonathan Baumgarten, visiting professor at C.C.S.U. from Yale University. Some of the several master classes attended & performed by Kellyann include those presented by Samuel Baron, Paula Robison, Julius Baker, Thomas Nyfinger, Carol Wincenc, Jeanne Baxtresser, and a Chamber Master Class with oboist Bert Lucarelli. She has played the saxophone since 1980 studying with Kenneth Nigro at Central CT State University & Jeff Taylor at Bellers Music in Manchester, CT. She has played clarinet since 1985 after studying clarinet with Dr. Schmidt at Ithaca College and studied Oboe there with Professor Hedrick.
Since college, she held the position of Director of the Gifted and Talented Flute Ensemble at New Britain High School for 2 years, and founded and directed the East-of-the-River Flute Ensemble and Summer Ensembles Program in Vernon, CT. She taught Instrumental Music at St. Bernard's Parochial School in Rockville for 1 year in 1992-1993, and taught privately at flute, piccolo, clarinet, saxophones, and trumpet at Sabastian’s Music & Grossi Conservatory in Vernon, Bellers Music in Manchester, The Music Works in South Windsor, and Riccardo’s Music in East Hartford from 1991 - 1997. Miss Ouellette founded The Flute Institute and Other Woodwinds of Vernon in 1997 teaching private flute, piccolo, recorder, oboe, alto and soprano saxophones, and clarinet lessons and ensembles. In 2008 she opened up a studio in Agawam, MA at the Agawam Congregational Church and moved her Vernon-based studio to East Hartford, CT joining Gus’ Drum Pad, the percussion studio of Rich (Gus) Guastamachio. In 2012, The Flute Institute & Other Woodwinds’ business name was changed to The Woodwind Institute closing her studio in Agawam and while Gus' Drum Pad closed. Kellyann then traveled house to house in the Greater Springfield & Hartford Metro areas before joining the teaching faculty at Music & Arts in East Hartford, CT in July of 2014 & at the Vernon, CT location in February 2016.
Many of her private students have held principal positions on flute, piccolo, clarinet & alto and bari sax in the CT Eastern & Northern Regional, All-State Music and All-New England Festival Concert Band, Jazz Band & Orchestra at both the High School and Jr. High level. Several other students have been accepted by audition into All New-England Music Festival, NCCC Music Festival in CT, MICCA Music Festival in Eastern Hampden Country, MA, the Quabbin Valley Music Festival, and the CT State Youth Honors Band as Principal Flute Chair. Two of Kellyann’s students received perfect scores on their CT Regional auditions. One was a Jr. High Flute student and the other a High School Flute & Piccolo student. Kellyann has also sent students to the Greater Boston Flute Association’s Solo and Ensemble Festival in which all of her students have received Gold Ratings. In total, Kellyann has taught over 400 students in her 30-year career, including many families 2-4 family members studying and many students studying 7-9 years before graduating. In her teaching program, she has held an Annual Student Recital for 25 yrs, and many Holiday Solo & Ensemble Performances, Holiday Performance Parties, Senior Graduation Honors Recitals and yearly End-of-the-Year Award Ceremonies.
Kellyann was a member of the Greater Boston Flute Association since 1993 before the organization dissolved in 2012 and a member of the Music Educators National Conference and the Connecticut Music Educators Association from 1996-2008. Also in 1996, Kellyann became a Certified Adjudicator of the CT. Regional and All-State Festival Auditions at the Jr. High and High School Levels. She has also served as Head Flute Judge for the CT Eastern Region Auditions on several occasions and Head Woodwind Judge for the CT All-State Auditions. She held the Flute Judge position for All-New England 1 year as well. Kellyann has performed in over 45 musical productions as a multiple reed player since 1991 with many pit orchestras associated with local theater companies such as The Hartford Children's Theater, The Act II Theater in New Haven, CT, The Beckley Dinner Theater in Newington, CT, The Starlite Playhouse & Cabaret in East Hartford, CT, The Windham Theater Guild, The Berlin Summer Theater, The Connecticut Repertory Theater in association with the University of CT in Storrs for 9 years, The Warner Theater in Torrington, CT, The Spirit of Broadway Theater in Norwich, CT, The Thomaston Opera House, The Goshen Players in Goshen, CT, The CCSU Drama Dept., The New Britain Repertory Theater, as well as several high school productions in MA & CT. She has performed in the pit orchestra for the 1st & 2nd Annual CT High School Music Theater Awards Gala, held at the Garde Arts Center in New London & at the Bushnell in Hartford respectively under the direction of Brett Bernardini, Artistic Director & Founder of The Spirit of Broadway Theater in Norwich. Her most recent Musicals include performing on flute, piccolo, alto sax & clarinet for the new musical “The Addams Family” at the Warner Theater in Torrington in July & August of 2015. She also performed on flute & alto sax for “Memphis”, and flute, alto sax & clarinet for "White Christmas" and "Dream GIrls" at the Thomaston Opera House in the Fall of 2015, Winter of 2016 & Summer of 2018 respectively.
Kellyann has been Owner & Director of Wedding Instrumentals based in Western Massachusetts since 1991. She studied voice for 1 year with Sherry Veal in Glastonbury, now with the Chicago Lyric Opera, and 1 year with Julie Blake in Springfield, MA, now in Nashville, TN. She studied acoustic guitar with Mark Cecchini. Kellyann performed in a country duo called “Country Somethin” in 2002-2003, singing music from the Traditional and Alternative Country, Oldies & Pop Music genre. On October 28, 2007, Kellyann presented a workshop on improvisation at the Greater Boston Flute Association Annual Flute Fair & performed that evening with the band Reverse Curve with well-renowned flutist Jamie Baum on their Jazz Cabaret Program. From Jan 2009 – April 2015, Kellyann was on the music faculty at Regional Jr. High & High School #7 in Winsted, CT, teaching the clarinet & saxophone sections of the Symphony Band & Wind Ensemble as small groups. In August of 2009, Kellyann participated in breaking the Guinness Book of World's Record for the largest flute choir worldwide at the National Flute Association's Annual Convention in NYC directed by James Galway. Also in NYC, in Oct. 2009, Kellyann was hired for a studio recording session at Uptime Recording on flute, clarinet & alto saxophone for the new musical “Buddy’s Tavern” Soundtrack CD.
In 2002, Kellyann recorded her 1st vocal CD with the help of Rotary Records, then in East Longmeadow, MA with many cover songs of the Country Genre, as well as Amy Lee of Evanescence's song "Bring Me To LIfe". In November of 2010, she joined the Country, Blues, & Southern Rock band “Blue Collar Project” based out of Southbury, CT. Kellyann is the lead singer, sings background harmonies, plays flute, alto saxophone, acoustic guitar & auxiliary percussion instruments (Tambourine, Guiro, Shaker & Bongos). BCP performed at bars, restaurants, fairs including the Hebron Harvest Fair and The Wapping Fair in South Windsor, campgrounds and wineries all over CT State and private parties. The band had also composed 2 original songs. In July of 2016, Kellyann was hired by CT Songwriter/Composer Bill Naughton, Jr. of Colbalt, CT to record vocally 4 original songs included in his 2 CD Set Demo. She worked with Bill and Michael Arafeh of The Coffeehouse Recording Studio located in Middletown, CT. Nashville, Tenn. & Austin, Texas. Bill will go down to Nashville in Sept 2017 to promote his CD to many producers, including ASCAP and BMI, and to famous artists such as Martina McBride, The Dixie Chicks, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, George Straight, and several others in the hopes that his songs will be produced and recorded by these nationally known artists currently on the commercial markets. Kellyann is in the process of recording her own CD with 3 originals on it, one written by her, one by Bill Naughton and one by her Lead Guitarist Guy Howerton from her band Blue Collar Project, along with some cover songs by other artists. The CD titled “If It Hadn't Been For You” is the 1st single on the CD and is currently available for purchase & download on Band Camp, Spotify, Reverbnation, Amazon & iTunes. Kellyann hopes the CD will be completed for release in the Spring of 2018. Kellyann released her Christmas Vocal CD December 2018 titled “Miracles & Memories: A Christmas Collection”.