Zachary Kelly-Onett

Instructor

Inspired by the Coldplay song “Clocks”, Zach began playing piano at age 13. In 2012, Zach earned his Bachelor of Arts in music composition and piano from the University of New Hampshire and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in composition from the California Institute of the Arts. During his time at At CalArts, Zach collaborated with students in the Walt Disney school of animation, writing music for their short films. Zach has played keyboard instruments in both classical and rock settings, most notably as the synth-player in the alt-rock band ‘Brave Little Abacus. Zach’s formal studies include: classical piano with Arlene Kies, and composition under Christopher Kies, Karen Tanaka, Wolfgang von Schweinitz, and Michael Fink and has written music for orchestral and chamber ensembles as well as incidental music for theatrical productions.