Henri O'Kelly

Joseph Pierre Henri O’Kelly (23 June 1859 – 15 March 1938) was a Franco-Irish composer, pianist, organist and choir director, based in Paris. A minor composer in the Impressionist school, as a conductor he made outstanding contributions to French church music. Biography Henri O’Kelly was the second child (first son) of Joseph O’Kelly’s (1828–1885) first marriage (1856). He was born in Paris and grew up in Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière in the 9th arrondissement. After initial piano studies with his father, he enrolled at the Conservatoire de Paris (1874–79) studying solfège with Albert Lavignac (1874–76) and piano with Georges Mathias (1876–79). O’Kelly was an exceptional student, winning awards every year, always sharing them with his fellow students Claude Debussy and Gabriel Pierné. While Debussy never won a “premier prix” in piano, O’Kelly did in his final year, 1879. The somewhat unexpected birth of a son in 1881 forced him to abandon a promising pianistic career and seek financial safety as a church organist and choir master, holding such positions at Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois in central Paris (1881–1900) and Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in the 10th arrondissement (1900–1918). O’Kelly