Kelly Estes

Pianist Kelly Estes lives in Chicago and enjoys an active orchestral piano career. Estes performs frequently in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and has been described as a “fine keyboardist who provided nuanced contributions on piano and celeste” (Chicago Sun-Times) and a “superb guest pianist” (WTTV Chicago). Estes has also performed in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, the Alabama Symphony, The Florida Orchestra, and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. She held the Principal Piano position in the West Michigan Symphony from 2011-2018 and performed as a soloist in the Beethoven Triple Concerto in 2017.  She has performed on several tours with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Muti, including a European tour in 2024, North American tours in 2023, 2025, 2026, and Carnegie Hall in 2019 and 2023. She also performed on the CSO European tour in May 2025 (Jaap van Zweden conducting).

In addition to the piano, Estes studied violin as a child and grew up playing in orchestras in her hometown of Raleigh, NC. Eventually, she decided to focus solely on piano, but is thrilled to have a career which combines the piano with her love for orchestral music.

Estes holds Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in piano performance from Ball State University where she studied with Dr. Raymond Kilburn. She spent two summers studying with Norman Krieger at the Brevard Music Center, and in high school she studied with Dana Mallory (Cary, NC). Her violin teachers include Paul Gorski (North Carolina Symphony), Sherry Kloss, and Marta C. Findlay Partridge. A dedicated and compassionate teacher, Estes maintains a home studio for adult students. Away from the piano, she enjoys hiking, swimming, and traveling.