When Millcreek resident Andrew Keller walks onto the Abravanel Hall stage with the Utah Symphony, his job isn’t to be seen — it’s to be felt. As a section bassist, Keller helps create the musical bedrock that supports the orchestra’s entire sound, often without commanding attention in the spotlight.

“As a section player, it's my job to lay down a solid foundation of sound and blend in well with my other colleagues in the bass section,” Keller said. “We are all trying our best to listen to everything around us and play together with the rest of the orchestra, which can sometimes be more difficult than it sounds!”

That emphasis on listening and blending didn’t happen by accident. Keller grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis, where his earliest spark for music came from an orchestra “petting zoo.”

“I was eager to play ‘the biggest instrument’ after going to an orchestra ‘petting zoo,’ if you will,” he recalled. “This was a tall order for a 5 year old who was not so tall, but they were able to find a cello for me to learn on until I was big enough for a bass.”

He began playing both bass and piano around age 5 or 6. When his school district later eliminated its music program due to budget cuts, Keller continued with private lessons and youth orchestras, eventually studying with members of the Minnesota Orchestra.

Andrew Keller (center) playing bass with the Utah Symphony. (Photo courtesy of the Utah Symphony)

“By the time I was around 16 or so, it became clear that I wanted to pursue a career in music,” he said.

His formal training followed at two elite institutions: Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where his primary teachers were Larry Hurst and Kurt Muroki, and Rice University in Houston, where he studied with Tim Pitts and Paul Ellison.

Before joining the Utah Symphony, Keller performed with the Lyric Opera Orchestra in Chicago, an experience that refined his musical instincts in a different way from traditional symphonic work.

“I think playing in an opera orchestra really makes you listen in a different way because you are always accompanying singers,” he said. “You always have to have your antenna up, so to speak, because maybe a singer will do an aria a bit different on the second performance than they did the first time, so you have to be ready to catch them.”

He officially joined the Utah Symphony in September 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Peak Covid time. A very interesting time to move to a new city, to say the least,” he said.

Despite the challenges of joining an orchestra amid uncertainty, Keller quickly found his rhythm in Utah. Among his most memorable performances was Mahler’s massive “Third Symphony.”

“Mahler's ‘Third Symphony’ in spring 2023 (the longest symphony ever written, its grand scope and emotional depth is incredible, and it was my first time playing it),” he said.

He’s also inspired by collaborations with visiting soloists.

“Any time Augustin Hadelich comes to town is also memorable. He's perhaps the best violinist playing today,” Keller said.

 However, some of Keller’s favorite performances have happened far from traditional concert halls, during the Utah Symphony’s summer tours across the state.

“It's rather unique to the Utah Symphony that we get to play in these scenic and beautiful venues all over the state,” he said. “On my first summer tour back in 2021, we performed an outdoor concert at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab and we've also played several times at the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater in Springdale, right outside Zion.”

Andrew Keller performed with the Lyric Opera Orchestra in Chicago before joining the Utah Symphony. (Photo courtesy of the Utah Symphony)

These tours, he said, help connect classical music with new audiences in rural and outdoor settings, making the experience more accessible and personal for people who may never attend a performance at Abravanel Hall.

Keller believes Utah’s classical music culture is stronger than many outsiders realize.

“Yes, we are definitely a smaller city, but I think per capita there is a lot of enthusiastic support for the arts here,” he said. “You'd be surprised how vibrant the arts and music scene is.”

Still, he acknowledges real challenges facing classical music and musicians in the state.

“Salt Lake City has sadly become increasingly unaffordable in the last several years, making it difficult for young people just joining the orchestra to get on their feet and build a life here,” he said. 

For young musicians, Keller’s advice is rooted in realism and resilience.

“It’s a very difficult field, and by nature you will have many more failures than successes,” he said. “I would say try to never lose your passion for what you do, and when times get tough try to remember what inspired you to pursue this path in the first place.”

To help maintain that passion, Keller keeps what he calls a personal “library of inspiration.”

“A long list of my favorite performances, songs, memories, even things that have nothing to do with music — anything that will stir up the right emotions and keep that passion alive,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Keller is energized by working with the Utah Symphony’s new music director.

“We have just begun working with our new Music Director Markus Poschner, and I'm really excited to see where this new partnership will take us,” he said. “There's a real opportunity to reach new heights artistically as an orchestra and grow audiences outside of just Utah.”

He also holds out hope for a return to one of the world’s most iconic stages.

“It's been almost 10 years since we've toured to Carnegie Hall and it would be really fun to do that again in the coming years,” he said. “There's nothing planned yet but fingers crossed!”

Andrew Keller with the Utah Symphony’s concerts can be found at www.utahsymphony.org.