Faculty Bio: Ellen Maria Willis

Ellen-Maria Willis, violin, is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She studied primarily with Fredell Lack and Szymon Goldberg, has performed as soloist with various orchestras including the Houston Symphony, has played in numerous recitals, and has performed in chamber ensembles both in the United States and in Europe. As an orchestral musician, Mrs. Willis has performed all over the world with many great conductors including Leonard Bernstein, Sergiu Celibidache, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Andre Previn, and Simon Rattle. She was a substitute with the Philadelphia Orchestra for several years and now plays part-time with the Pittsburgh Symphony (with whom she toured Europe in January 2008), the Pittsburgh Opera, the Wheeling Symphony, and other ensembles. Also a private teacher, Mrs. Willis is currently a resident of the Pittsburgh area, where she lives with her husband and homeschools their two daughters.

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