Robert T. Kelley

Robert Kelley is Assistant Professor of Music at Lander University and teaches all upper-level music theory courses, class piano, and world music, serves as accompanist for University Singers, Old Main Singers, and student and faculty soloists, and coaches the piano ensemble with Anthony Lenti.
Dr. Kelley earned his B.M. degree in piano performance and music theory with honors from Furman University, M.M. in piano performance and music composition from James Madison University, and Ph.D. in music theory from Florida State University, where he worked with dissertation advisor Michael Buchler.
At Florida State University, Dr. Kelley worked extensively as a harpsichordist for the FSU Baroque Ensemble, soloists and chamber groups, and staged productions of John Eccles's operas Semele and The Judgment of Paris and oratorio Hymn to Harmony. He has also served as rehearsal accompanist and harpsichordist or pianist in productions of George Frideric Handel's Messiah at Furman University, Johann Sebastian Bach's Magnificat at James Madison University, and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's Elijah.
While his main research interest is the study of late-nineteenth-century chromatic harmony and early-twentieth-century extended tonality, Dr. Kelley's other interests include music theory pedagogy, early and baroque music, early American hymnody, and music informatics. He has given presentations in all of these areas of research at regional, national, and international conferences.

His composing specialty is chamber music, and he is an accomplished arranger as well, having created arrangements for ensembles ranging from middle-school show choir to professional jazz big band.