Kelsey Tamayo

Percussionist

2006 IBLA Foundation Percussionist Winner Kelsey Tamayo has just returned from the IBLA Grand Prize Winners Tour. It included her New York Carnegie Weill Hall Debut in addition to performing for New York University, Radford University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Ms. Tamayo was received by great critical acclaim. Please visit the PRESS link in www.ibla.org to access the reviews of her brilliant performances!  

 Kelsey Tamayo is a senior at John Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  She is ranked first in her graduating class of 281 with a 4.0 GPA. Miss Tamayo was the 2005 International Eisteddfod Music Instrumental Solo Winner, age 16-30, held in Llangollen, Wales.   Kelsey was the 2003 and 2004 National Music Teachers Junior and Senior Percussion Competition Winner.  Last November,   Kelsey represented Kentucky and the United States at the International World Marimba Competition and Convention in Paris, France.  In addition, Miss Tamayo won the 2006 Special Marimba Prize at the IBLA International Instrumental Competition.  A performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City and a National tour with the IBLA Winners took place in April of 2007. Also, Kelsey recently performed with the Burbank Philharmonic in Hollywood, California as the 2006 Hennings-Fischer Young Artist Instrumental Winner. Miss Tamayo has performed as a soloist with many National Orchestras to include: the Louisville Orchestra, Montgomery Symphony, Clayton Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Kennett Symphony, Burbank Philharmonic, the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and the University of Louisville Wind Symphony European Tour.  Kelsey Tamayo will attend John Hopkins University-Peabody Conservatory studying with Professor Robert Van Sice in the Fall of 2007. Kelsey is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Federico Tamayo of Radcliff, Kentucky.