Kelly Corcoran

Kelly Corcoran joins the Music Cognition Lab as a Social Scientist bringing a range of experiences in performance, community partnership and public health to the team.  In this position, Kelly works on epidemiological studies as well as community initiatives.  Named “Best Classical Conductor” by the Nashville Scene, Kelly is Artistic Director & Conductor of Intersection, a contemporary music ensemble in Nashville. Corcoran founded the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted the Nashville Symphony in hundreds of performances for nine seasons as Associate Conductor and Director of the Symphony Chorus. She has guest conducted many major orchestras including The Cleveland Orchestra, the Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and National Symphonies and orchestras in Argentina, England, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, Mexico and Chile. Corcoran has worked with a range of artists and conducted National Geographic's Symphony for our World international tour. A graduate of Boston Conservatory (BM - Vocal performance) and Indiana University (MM - Instrumental Conducting), a proud alum of the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship, the New World Symphony and the Lucerne Festival with Pierre Boulez, her primary conducting mentors are Leonard Slatkin and Marin Alsop. Additionally, Corcoran is on the music faculty at Middle Tennessee State University and Lipscomb University and is proud to serve on the Advisory Council for Music Makes Us (supporting music education) and Nashville’s Health Equity Workgroup. Kelly recently completed her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Behavior from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is deeply interested in the role of music in building health in our communities.