Biography
Praised for her “refined, poised and singular” vision, pianist Susan Ellinger has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician. At age 13, she was awarded the National Baldwin Junior Keyboard Achievement Award and presented solo recitals in Washington, D.C., for the Music Teachers National Association of America and at age 15 made her concerto debut with the Vermont Philharmonic, performing Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor under the baton of Brian Webb.
Ellinger has presented recitals at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Caramoor Music Center, Harvard University, Tanglewood Music Festival, and the Taos School of Music. She has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Peabody Conservatory Orchestra with conductor Jed Gaylin, in regular concerts with the Chelsea Chamber Players in New York City, and as a featured soloist in concerts with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra under conductor Marin Alsop. She has won top prizes as a soloist and chamber musician at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music.
As founder and artistic director of the Blue Sage Concert Series from 2011 to 2020, Ellinger programmed, directed, performed for, and educated one of the most socioeconomically challenged and remote communities of Colorado’s Western Slope. Building a music program over the course of a decade, Ellinger rallied the community to fundraise and acquire a concert grand piano, and subsequently went on to create a prestigious concert series. It grew into a robust program that included community choruses, a family matinee series, music education events for adults and children, and outreach with local public schools and youth orchestras. Ellinger's vision is to make music performance and education available to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.
