Instruction Opportunities

Vocal Bootcamp America

In 2015, Roberta Duchak and Ellen began teaching their Vocal Boot Camp in Chicago. The pandemic sent the 2020 boot camps online, with great success, but in June of 2022, they resumed in-person workshops at the Venus Cabaret in Chicago. These intensive week-long camps include singing three different songs in three different styles, basic musicianship skills, vocal technique, warm-up exercises and performance tips.

With a dynamic team of musicians and educators, Vocal Boot Camp America continues to work with emerging artists from elementary school to college age students. Stay tuned for information about all new Vocal Boot Camps that will be happening in 2023.

Private Coaching

Ellen is passionate about teaching. In the last 20 years, she has taught in a variety of settings and has worked with students from ages 10 to 70. Ellen's favorite part of teaching is connecting different generations with each other through Music.

Ellen has been studying private voice since the age of 16, and continues to teach traditional vocal technique to all her beginning students. The singer's "insurance policy" is the best possible technique and good technique will service all styles. People from early students to advanced collegiate students to adult students will all benefit from this focus. Ellen focuses on authentic and healthy singing in her instruction of all styles from Musical Theater and Jazz to Rock/Pop.

Ellen has been a part of the Columbia College Chicago Music Department faculty since 2007 and serves as a Private Voice Instructor in all styles. Ellen also works as a Private Instructor at the Waukesha Conservatory of Music (Hartland Music) teaching all ages and styles. Her students have gone on to thrive in top college Performing Arts programs in Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston and Manhattan.

Contemporary Singing

Ellen can provide workshops to heighten your students’ Vocal Jazz awareness and Aural abilities. Ellen has a strong background in singing vocal jazz and close-voice harmony and also served on the faculty of the Phil Mattson Vocal/Choral Summer workshops as well as the Western Michigan University Summer Vocal Workshop with Steve Zegree. Ellen has a variety of vocal exercises to help you work with your ensemble from the most intermediate to the most advanced level of singing. Ellen was also honored to serve at the Guest Conductor of the 2021 WI All State Vocal Jazz Choir.

Ellen has served as a Guest Artist/Clinician throughout the Midwest at a variety of academic institutions and festivals. She continues to enjoy working with new groups in a fast paced environment and loves to hear the groups grow as they work together. Ellen is always interested in working with a group at any level of development.

Ellen teaches a variety of Contemporary Vocal courses at Columbia College Chicago including Fundamentals of Musical Theatre Singing, Music Theory for Musical Theatre Majors and is also currently directing the Jazz Pop Choir .