Decades ago, when Ross Kellan headed the Music Department at his alma mater, Glenbard East High School in Lombard, he tapped a sophomore trumpet player to perform her first solo for an upcoming concert.
The student, a recent transfer to the school, was a talented musician who came from a troubled home and was reluctant to take up the challenge. During a rehearsal, as she struggled through her solo, she suddenly stood up, slammed down her trumpet and stormed out of the room.
“It was a tough situation for this student,” said Joanne May, a colleague of Kellan’s who was at the rehearsal that day. “Her frustrations were being played out in front of everybody.”
Kellan followed the student out into the hallway, where he listened and talked and then listened some more. He reaffirmed his faith in her and later spoke with her family. “Ross talked her off the ledge that day,” May said.
The student went on to deliver a flawless performance and continued to excel in the band, according to May. She also learned to play the French horn and viola, and as a senior she tutored other music students.
Kellan would share the story in later years to motivate students who wanted to become teachers when he was chair of the music department at Elmhurst College, where he also served as director of Music Education and conductor of the Symphonic Band.
“He was the kind of teacher that saw potential in every student and would do whatever it took to help them reach their goals,” said May, who is now director of orchestras at Elmhurst College. “Simply put, he was the best.”
Kellan, 68, died of cancer on June 4 in his Lombard home, his family said.
“One of his favorite sayings whenever we’d hit an obstacle would be, ‘Our work is not yet done,’ ” said Peter Griffin, Kellan’s successor as chair of the music department at Elmhurst College. “But that also applied to when we had fun. He put his whole self into everything he did. For Ross, it was all or nothing.”
A 1966 graduate of Glenbard East, Kellan played the trumpet in the school’s band. He received a bachelor’s degree in music education, and later a master’s degree in music performance, from Eastern Illinois University in the early 1970s.
He taught for a year at a high school in Decatur and in 1972 began teaching at Glenbard East, where he remained for 33 years and served as chair of its music department.
“He was very proud to have the opportunity to teach at his own high school,” his wife said. “In many ways, it was a coming home for him.”
During his tenure at Glenbard East, the band was selected to perform for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the National Band Associationnational convention, the American School Band Directors Association national convention and the Illinois Music Education Association state convention. The Symphonic Band was selected three times as the Honor Band at the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival in Urbana-Champaign.
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In 2010 he received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at Elmhurst College. In 2012, the music wing at Glenbard East was named in his honor.
Kellan left Glenbard East in 2005 to join the faculty at Elmhurst College, where he was chair of the music department from 2009 to 2011 and remained until his health began to fail last month.
“Wherever he taught, Ross set the standard,” May said. “He had an incredible ability to inspire students to greater heights.”
Kellan is survived by his wife of 45 years, Geri; a daughter, Erin; a brother, Kurt; and a sister, Jayne.
Services have been held.
Joan Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter.