Composer and percussionist Corliss Kimmel was born in Washington DC and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, where she received her musical training. She has written works for orchestra, chorus, and percussion ensemble and has had compositions premiered by the UAA Percussion Ensemble, and several choral works commissioned by the Fairbanks Choral Society. She was one of six composers asked to participate in the creation of A Mass For Winter Solstice, premiered in Fairbanks, Alaska in December 1991 and later broadcast on statewide Alaska Public Radio and National Public Radio.

Other commissioned works include: Voyage of the Rurik, for mezzo soprano and chamber orchestra, premiered in Fairbanks on October 4, 1992, and also performed at MusicAlaskaWomen, an international women's music festival held in Fairbanks in August 1993. Denali Seasons, commissioned by the Fairbanks Youth Orchestra, was premiered in Fairbanks, Alaska in May 1995 and has also been performed by the Hewlett-Packard Symphony Orchestra. Her orchestral work Kodiak Suite, in complete form, was premiered in Kodiak, Alaska as part of the Kodiak Bicentennial Celebration on September 26, 1992 by the Arctic Chamber Orchestra - the touring group of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra.

Corliss' compositions and arrangements have also been performed by the Anchorage Civic Orchestra and have been on the program of the Anchorage Symphony's Ensemble Evenings, Alaskan Originals concerts, which feature works by Alaskan composers.

As percussionist, Corliss performs with the Anchorage Opera Orchestra and Anchorage Concert Chorus orchestra, and has performed with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra since age 17. She has also performed with the University of Alaska, Anchorage percussion ensemble, Anchorage Community Theater, Anchorage Civic Orchestra, the Anchorage Youth Symphony, the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival orchestra and has been a member of other performing arts groups in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Kodiak, Alaska and the Las Vegas Music Festival.