Erin Ellis

Associate Professor, Cello

Cellist Erin Ellis leads a versatile career as a performer and teacher. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across the United States as well as in Canada, Chile, Italy, and Holland.  Formerly based in Atlanta, Georgia, she served as Assistant Principal Cello of the Atlanta Opera, Principal Cellist of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (GA), and continues to perform with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.  Dr. Ellis is also an accomplished baroque cellist and has appeared with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, Indy Baroque Orchestra, and with members of Chatham Baroque.  She can be heard on several recordings with the New Trinity Baroque Orchestra.

A dedicated music educator, she joins West Virginia University from the faculty at Agnes Scott College. She also served as interim cello faculty at State University of New York at Fredonia.  She has conducted masterclasses at nationally-recognized institutions like Vanderbilt and Pennsylvania State University, and is a regular presenter at the American String Teacher's Association National Conference.  She spends her summers in Leicester, VT, performing and coaching chamber music at Point CounterPoint Chamber Music Camp. 

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Ellis began her cello studies as a Suzuki student at the age of 4. She earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and she completed Suzuki teacher training with Tanya Carey. She went on to receive the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree with a minor in Early Music from the Eastman School of Music, where she was recognized with the Graue Award for Excellence in Musicology. She studied the cello with Richard Aaron, David Ying, Alison Wells, Phoebe Carrai, and Martha Gerschefski.