Workshops

Ellen has been amazed at the demand for good, accessible vocal jazz literature in the Milwaukee area. She has been thrilled to work in several Milwaukee area schools as a vocal jazz consultant and clinician and has over 200 arrangements in her personal library. Ellen is in direct contact with many up and coming as well as established arrangers and can help find the right literature for your group. The most important thing a music teacher can do is provide the right opportunity for students to learn and understand vocal jazz through literature that is accessible and still true to the art form. It is Ellen’s belief that this initial exposure is crucial in creating the audiences of the future, just as it will help inspire the jazz musicians of the future. One cannot exist without the other.

Ellen earned three DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards while singing with VoicesIowa and Gold Company and taught vocal jazz workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is still sought after as a clinician, vocal jazz consultant and adjudicator and is currently working with several Milwaukee area high school choral programs. Ellen’s unique resume has also prompted various high schools throughout the Midwest and collegiate Schools of Music at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Tiffin University in Ohio, University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, Highland Community College and the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana to invite her to perform and address music students about her diverse professional experiences.

“Thank you Ellen for serving as clinician and guest artist. I really appreciate your musicianship and your consummate skills as an educator; you made our entire spring concert a success with your contributions and leadership!” –Allen Redford, Highland Community College

In 2010, Ellen was a guest artist and clinician at the Terra Community College Winter Jazz Festival in Fremont, OH and the Best of Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships in Des Moines, IA.  She also presented a Vocal Jazz session at the Ohio Music Educators Convention with friend/colleague Michael Shirtz of Terra Community College.  Ellen plans to return to Terra Community College again for several sessions in the 2010-2011 academic year as Artist In Residence.

“As someone who wants to become a teacher in the future, I find your story very inspiring and I hope that I can experience the same joy.  Ellen, thanks for taking the time to speak to us.   You make a whole lot of sense and I really enjoyed listening to your thoughts.”–Riley Wildman, Terra Community College Student

Ellen can provide workshops to heighten your students’ jazz awareness and aural abilities. Over the last eleven years, Ellen has been an adjudicator and clinician throughout the Midwest and in Canada. Ellen continues to be a Vocal Jazz/Show Choir judge for the Wisconsin School Music Association for Solo/Ensemble competitions. She is also adjunct staff at Columbia College Chicago, where she teaches classes in Techniques in Singing, Sightsinging I, Private Jazz Voice and is the director of the Jazz/ Pop Choir.   Ellen also has a private voice studio at Hartland Music in Hartland, WI.