Elisabeth Ellison

Member

Biography

Elisabeth Ellison, native of Houston, Texas, has been a performing and recording musician since the 1970s. In high school, she was awarded a Student Recording Award by downbeat[sic] Magazine for the Koussevitzky double bass concerto with orchestra. She began viola da gamba in 1979 with Wayne Moss, and is continuing studies with gambist Tina Chancey, founder of the early-music ensemble Hesperus. Elisabeth majored in double bass at Northwestern University. In 2022 she was the first awardee of the Specialist Certificate in Medieval Music Performance Practice from Medieval Music Besalú through the University of Lleida (Catalonia). Elisabeth is a current candidate for Performing and Teaching certificates from Instutut Internationale Rabbath in Paris, France and leader of the medieval-music project Ensemble Benedictus and HIP ensemble Old Spanish Trail.

In addition to double bass, Elisabeth performs on its related instruments: medieval vielle, viola da gamba, violone, and electric bass. She is a member of the long-running Renaissance/crossover ensemble Cantiga and has appeared with many symphony orchestras and period-performance ensembles, including Bach Society Houston, Istanpitta, La Speranza, La Follia Austin Baroque, Austin Baroque Orchestra, and Mercury. Elisabeth is married to double bassist and pedagogue Paul Ellison.