Kelly Gronli began her oboe studies at the age of ten in her hometown of Vienna, Virginia, where she was a student of Richard White, retired English Hornist for the National Symphony Orchestra. She quickly gained recognition as an outstanding young talent, winning several solo and chamber music competitions. Kelly went on to study under the tutelage of John Dee, former Principal Oboist of the Florida Philharmonic, at The Harid Conservatory where she received her Bachelor of Music Performance and then under Ray Still, retired Principal Oboist for the Chicago Symphony and Professor of Oboe, at Northwestern University where she earned her Master of Music Performance degree in 2000.
After a short stint in Washington state playing with the Tacoma Symphony and Bellevue Philharmonic, she won Principal Oboe positions with the Eugene Symphony and the Oregon Ballet Theater, ultimately leading her to Portland in 2002 where she also holds the Principal Oboe position with the Portland Opera orchestra. Kelly has played solo works with the Eugene Symphony, the Oregon Festival of American Music, the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra and in 2012 she recorded the Schoenberg arrangement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Martingale Ensemble under the MSR Classics label. Kelly has also played with the Oregon Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Florida Philharmonic, Florida Grand Opera and the Palm Beach Opera.
She currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Patrick; their 7 year old son, Dane; and their 3 year old daughter, Piper.