Conductor Kellie Dickerson has Died, Aged 53

A renowned pianist and conductor for both musical theater and opera, Dickerson was diagnosed with multiple system atrophy in 2020

Australian pianist, music director, and conductor Kellie Dickerson has passed away at the age of 53, following a battle with a rare neurodegenerative condition known as multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Dickerson studied performance piano at the University of Sydney, where she also studied conducting. She was an active participant in the Symphony Australia Young Conductor's Program.

She then began a career as a keyboardist/pianist in both the music theater and opera sectors, with early shows including The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon (both Cameron Mackintosh), Turandot (Opera Australia), and The Three Divas.

Following these opportunities, Dickerson moved into musical directing roles and was engaged for shows such as Amici Forever and Babies Proms (Sydney Opera House), Die Fledermaus and The Merry Widow (Opera Queensland), Respect (Jim McPherson), Annie Get Your Gun and Thoroughly Modern Millie (The Production Company), Australia Plays Broadway (Carnegie Hall), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey) and Fiddler on the Roof (Tim Lawson/The Works Entertainment).

She sat on industry panels for the Helpmann Awards, the Australia Council, New Musicals Australia, and the Rob Guest Endowment, as well as consulting for the AMEB musical theater syllabus. In 2022 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

Dickerson was diagnosed with MSA in 2020, having had symptoms such as low blood pressure and slurred speech since 2018. Once diagnosed, she decided to step back from her career.

"It’s the bad luck of the draw," Dickerson told Limelight Magazine in 2020 in an interview about her illness. "It’s not hereditary, I didn’t catch it from anyone, it’s just bad luck. It’s quite rare, and it’s quite unusual for a girl of my age to be affected, but there it is."

"Thinking of the wonderfully talented Australian conductor Kellie Dickerson who was taken from us far too soon after bravely battling serious illness," wrote conductor Benjamin Northey. "Kellie was a fellow alumni of the Brian Stacey Award for Australian Conductors. She enjoyed great success and respect in her professional career. A thoroughly good and beautiful person to go with it all. Deepest condolences to Kellie’s family and friends at this time."