Elisabeth Ellison

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. Since majoring in double bass at Northwestern University while performing with several Chicago regional orchestras, and Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and music theory at the American Conservatory, Elisabeth undertook continuing study in double bass technique from 2011-2014 at Acadamie Domaine Forget (Quebec). 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. 

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 Big Sky Music Festival Orchestra and the 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.