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, Southwest and Western regions of the American Choral Directors’ Association, and the 2019 national children’s honor choir for ACDA’s 60th anniversary conference. 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.

Collegiate work most recently includes teaching Conducting III at Elmhurst University, fall 2023, conducting the Elmhurst University Concert Choir (spring 2022), joining the Luther College choral faculty as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music for the 2020-21 season, and conducting the University Singers as Lecturer in Music Performance at Northwestern University (2012-2015). She served as Artistic Director of Anima- Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus from 1996 – 2018. 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, 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 and women's 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.

Ms. Ellsworth holds vocal performance degrees from Macalester College under Dr. Dale Warland and the University of Southern California, as well as the Artist Teacher Certificate from the Choral Music Experience Choral Teacher Training Institute. Her primary choral mentors are Drs. Dale Warland and Doreen Rao.
More information can be found at https://www.emilyellsworth.net.