BIO
A current music and theatre faculty member at Eastern New Mexico University, Ellen teaches Beginning Acting, Music Appreciation, Literature of Music, Survey of Musical Theatre, and Musical Theatre Performance courses for music and non-music majors. In Fall 2014, she had the privilege of directing the ENMU Community Chorus as well as co-directing a production of the play My Three Angels in partnership with Lincoln County Community Theatre,
Before moving to New Mexico, Ellen was on the voice faculty of the University of Texas at El Paso from 2006-2013, working with Vocal Performance, Music Education, Musical Theatre, and Commercial Music majors. She was also part of the music faculty at El Paso Community College (EPCC) from 2001 - 2013, teaching studio voice and Music Appreciation courses.
While in El Paso, Ellen received several performing and project grants from the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. The performing grants allowed Ellen and El Paso colleague, acclaimed guitarist Armin Harrison, EPCC's Music Dept. Coordinator, to present musical programs ranging from Renaissance and Baroque music to original Adult Contemporary music, where they were joined by renowned electric bassist/cellist James David Hamilton and percussionist Benjamin Guerrero. One of these grants, an Artist Incubator Grant, resulted in the release of an album of original Adult Contemporary songs, Destiny, co-written with her producer, T.L. Brown, which featured the vocal and instrumental talents of Harrison, Hamilton, and Brown. Harrison was also a co-writer on "Shelter Me".
Ellen received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana, and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.
While on the staff of The Stable Theatre at the 279th BSB Entertainment Center, Warner Barracks, in Bamberg Germany, Ellen staged both musical and theatrical productions, including A Christmas Carol, Love Letters, Nunsense, and Godspell, and provided vocal and dramatic coaching to children, teens, and adults.
Ellen's diverse background as a professional performer and educator provides a deep knowledge base to share with her voice students.