Maria K. Ellis is a renowned music educator and choral conductor with over 20 years of choral music experience,  who has been described as a “master educator” and “a force of nature.”  She holds a B.M. in Music Education with emphasis on Voice (K-12 Certified) from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Ms. Ellis has served as the Arts and Administrative Fellow for The St. Louis Symphony and  currently serves as the Community Engagement Manager for The St. Louis Children’s Choirs.  She is the Founding Conductor of The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries' newly formed City of Music All-Star Chorus. In addition to her frequent appearances as a guest conductor and clinician, Ms. Ellis, widely known as the “Girl Conductor,” is the choir teacher at Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri. She hosts the weekly radio program Bach & Beyoncé, and co-hosts live St. Louis Symphony Orchestra broadcasts.

 

In describing her passion for music, Ms. Ellis has said, “I LOVE music! I love the sound of the choir, the orchestra, the band and individual singers. Music is a powerful tool that unites us all. When we are singing in a choir or playing in a band, our differences do not matter. Our goal at that moment is to make beautiful sounds. That is the power of music! My gift to the world is to unite all of us through love and music!!”