Ellen Bartolozzi began playing the piano and singing at age 5, her first music teacher being her mother Diane. Within a few years she was taking formal lessons at a local music school, attending weekly classes and participating in regional music contests.
Ellen played piano through grammar school and high school. It was in her senior year of high school that she joined her church’s contemporary music group and she got her first taste of musical theatre, co-starring in Godspell.
She studied at DePaul University School of Music, concentrating in Piano Performance and minoring in music composition. It was at this time that she joined ASCAP, a professional association that represents composers, lyricists, songwriters, and music publishers. It was also at this time that she began teaching privately, offering piano and voice to students of all ages and levels.
Upon college graduation, Ellen continued teaching privately. It was at this time that her musical range developed further when she started singing / playing for weddings and memorial services.
In 2005, Ellen joined the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and enthusiastically became Music Director of a local parish. Her job responsibilities ranged from student, adult, hand bell, and funeral/memorial choirs, teaching PreK-8th grade music, and training of cantors. She also composed several choral works for the church.
2005 proved to be a milestone year for Ellen. She was recruited by the Village of Elmwood Park to start a community chorus. During her time in this role, she formed a thriving choral group that performed several times a year in the Chicago area. Because of her hard work and commitment to the chorus and arts community, she was awarded the 2009 Studs Terkel Humanities Award.
Ellen continues to actively work in the Chicago area as a private instructor, wedding vocalist/keyboardist, and church musician.
Ellen played piano through grammar school and high school. It was in her senior year of high school that she joined her church’s contemporary music group and she got her first taste of musical theatre, co-starring in Godspell.
She studied at DePaul University School of Music, concentrating in Piano Performance and minoring in music composition. It was at this time that she joined ASCAP, a professional association that represents composers, lyricists, songwriters, and music publishers. It was also at this time that she began teaching privately, offering piano and voice to students of all ages and levels.
Upon college graduation, Ellen continued teaching privately. It was at this time that her musical range developed further when she started singing / playing for weddings and memorial services.
In 2005, Ellen joined the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and enthusiastically became Music Director of a local parish. Her job responsibilities ranged from student, adult, hand bell, and funeral/memorial choirs, teaching PreK-8th grade music, and training of cantors. She also composed several choral works for the church.
2005 proved to be a milestone year for Ellen. She was recruited by the Village of Elmwood Park to start a community chorus. During her time in this role, she formed a thriving choral group that performed several times a year in the Chicago area. Because of her hard work and commitment to the chorus and arts community, she was awarded the 2009 Studs Terkel Humanities Award.
Ellen continues to actively work in the Chicago area as a private instructor, wedding vocalist/keyboardist, and church musician.
