Founder & Flutist, Hear Now Berlin
Founder, The Suzuki Flute Studio of Berlin
14k Custom with gold tone-holes, silver mechanism, C# trill, B foot, 19.5k N cut headjoint with an 18k white gold riser
supplied by Flutistry, Boston
📸 Peter Adamik
Kelly Watson Woelffer, an American flutist and composer, has made Berlin her home. As the visionary founder and flutist of Hear Now Berlin, a virtuosic, international sextet at the vanguard of Europe's contemporary classical music scene, she has led the ensemble to critical acclaim with their debut album, "Music in Circles" (Backlash Music, 2023). The Guardian hailed this release as "an intriguing gem," praising its dynamic range from vibrant energy to nocturnal shadows, positioning it among the most captivating chamber music albums of recent times. www.hearnowberlin.de
In her role as a composer and performer, Kelly thrives in the realm of contemporary music, where genres blur and musicians are invited to infuse performances with their distinctive voices. As a bandleader, she has showcased her original compositions on two albums: "From the Shelf" (CD Baby, 2006) and "dear and bare" (Phonector, 2008). Her piece, "the (un)raveling" is featured on Hear Now Berlin's "Music in Circles (Backlash, 2023). Also in 2023, Hear Now Berlin released three singles on Backlash Music performing live with Becca Stevens. One of the three singles is Kelly’s arrangement of Becca’s original song, “Regina”.
Listen to “the (un)raveling” here.
Listen to Kelly’s arrangement of “Regina” by Becca Stevens here.
Kelly's collaborations span a rich tapestry of musical genres, with studio recordings for the renowned Deutsche Filmorchester Babelsberg and performances alongside artists as diverse as Becca Stevens, Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, Greg Osby, and Reggie Workman. She can be found on other jazz recordings of original music including Frank LoCrasto, Shaul Besser & Tommy Crane. Kelly has appeared as a Guest Soloist and Composer with the Mid-Texas Symphony and as a composer has received commissions from Butch Morris’s Orchestra Slam, Aspenwood Music Company and the School for Improvised Music of New York. Kelly’s compositional work has also been recognized and supported by the Deutscher Musikrat and Hear Now Berlin has received significant support from Musikfonds e.V..
Kelly's early achievements include winning prizes at prestigious competitions such as the Leni Fe Bland Young Soloists Competition, the National Flute Association’s College Masterclass Competition, and the NFA's High School Flute Choir Competition. She also made her solo debut at the age of 16, winning first prize at the South Texas Young Artists Competition.
Her musical journey has been deeply influenced and enriched by her studies with Jim Walker at the University of Southern California, Göran Marcusson in Sweden, and a pursuit of broader artistic horizons at the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music in NYC, where she studied composition and improvisation under Greg Osby's mentorship.
Beyond her performances and compositions, Kelly is a dedicated educator, nurturing a vibrant community of students through her private studio. She has extensive registered teacher training through both the Suzuki Association of the Americas and the European Suzuki Association.
Kelly plays on a Haynes custom 14k gold flute that she discovered at Flutistry Boston.