Nationally recognized as a leader in the field of youth choral conductors, Ms. Ellsworth enjoys an active schedule as guest conductor and clinician both nationally and abroad. She has conducted all-state choirs and festivals in over 30 states, honor choirs for the Northwest, North Central, and Southwest divisions of the American Choral Directors’ Association, and conducted the 2019 national children’s honor choir for ACDA’s 60th anniversary conference in Kansas City. International appearances include festival choirs in Ireland, England, Hong Kong, Grand Cayman Island, Greece, and presentations for the national association of choral directors in Brazil.

Ms. Ellsworth joins Luther College as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music for the 2020-21 season, conducting Aurora and Collegiate Chorale. She served as Artistic Director of Anima (formerly Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus) from 1996 – 2018 and conductor of the University Singers at Northwestern University at the invitation of Donald Nally from 2012 – 2015. Her choral work has won several national awards, including the 2014 Tribute Award from Chicago A Cappella, the 2013 ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming from Chorus America, the 2009 Dale Warland Singers Commissioning Award jointly given by the American Composers Forum and Chorus America, and the 2008 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence from Chorus America. She conducted Anima on several national conferences for both ACDA (1999, 2003, 2011) and Chorus America (2005 and 2018), led concert tours to six continents, and produced nine CD recordings. Ms. Ellsworth has served as music panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and spent 20 years as a professional singer and voice teacher in various college and university settings.

Her home base of Chicago has featured Ms. Ellsworth’s preparation of dozens of youth ensembles for major musical organizations, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Bach Project, the Grant Park Music Festival, Berlin Philharmonic, Ravinia Festival, Music of the Baroque, and Chicago Sinfonietta. She has worked with conductors including Riccardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Bernard Haitink, Claudio Abbado, Christoph Eschenbach, James Conlon, and Sir Georg Solti. More information can be found at https://www.emilyellsworth.net.