Keely Hodgson studied composition with British composer, John Casken, at Durham University (1984 - 1989). Two post-graduate pieces were selected for the Yorkshire Young Composers Award, and received workshop performances at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. After her marriage in 1989, she moved from Durham to Huddersfield and worked as a part-time music lecturer and composition tutor at Huddersfield Polytechnic (1990 - 1993). She was awarded an M.Mus. in Composition in 1991.

Professional performances include:

The Cry of Gabriel for percussion quartet, led by Dame Evelyn Glennie (BBC2, 1992); Glimpses and Shadows for voice, flute and guitar, sung by Patricia Rozario;

 Surfacing for String Trio performed by members of Gemini (ICA, London 1994); Still Moment performed by oboist Melinda Maxwell and Sinfonia 21 (Old Stones, New Fires Festival, Michelham Priory 1996); Between Two Worlds for Oboe, Harp, Dancer and labyrinth performed by Jinny Shaw and Okeanos (Bradford Cathedral, York University, RNCM, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, CBSO Centre, Birmingham, 2000).

Works written for amateur choirs include Songs for the Dawn, four songs for unaccompanied female voices, commissioned by Opus 44 with funds from the National Lottery's A4E scheme. Since moving to Ilkley in 2007, she has written for amateur musicians and collaborated with poets: North and Mourning, a collection of poems by Wakefield poet, Laura Potts, for poet and cello performed by Laura and Keely at Wakefield Literature Festival, BBC Contains Strong Language Festival in Hull, BBC Radio Three's The Verb (Dec. 2018); North and Mourning for poet, violin, cello, two lever harps, concertina and Northumbrian pipes, Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe, Oct. 2018; All of the Moons, song cycle for poet, soprano, violin, cello and piano, setting poetry by Yorkshire poet, Mike Farren, Ilkley Literature Festival Fringe, Oct. 2019; Chatterley, (poem by Laura Potts) for poet, cello and piano for radio (Chapel FM 2021), with sound production by Dan Willox.

Her most recent work, A Tree Remembered for String Trio (Nov. 2021), was written in response to an exhibition of mobile sculptures by Ilkley artist, Juliet Gutch. 

Keely leads choirs and runs singing retreats and is a member of a team of composers and arrangers for the website ChoirCommunity.