BIOGRAPHY: DR. DIANA L. ELLIS

Diana Ellis holds the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas, the Master of Music degree from Mississippi College, and the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana College. Dr. Ellis is Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. At McMurry she teaches applied voice, vocal diction, vocal pedagogy, and directs the Opera and McMurry Sounds.

Before coming to Abilene, Texas in 2001, Dr. Ellis served as Assistant Professor of Music in the Bernice Young-Jones School of Fine Arts at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia,Arkansas from 1990-2001. Her numerous recitals include concerts presented at The University of Arkansas, Louisiana College, and East Texas Baptist University. Dr. Ellis’ guest soloist appearances include the Arkansas Symphony and Arts Council Production of Messiah, the Little Rock Pulaski Heights artist series, and the 2002 Sigma Alpha Iota Province Day. She has also served as a vocal coach and accompanist for numerous opera productions including The Ballad of Baby Doe and The Mikado.

Other professional appearances include leading roles in productions of La Traviata, La Bohème, and Trial By Jury. She currently performs with Fantasy Opera of Abilene, and last Spring she performed the role of Wowkie in The Abilene Opera Association's production of Puccini's La Fancuilla del West. Her dissertation “A Performer’s Analysis of Maurice Ravel’s Chansons madécasses, a vocal chamber work in three movements for voice, piano, cello, and flute,” was accompanied by a recent lecture-recital performance of the work; together with three other recitals including works by composers such as Britten, Purcell, Schumann, Debussy, and Pasatieri.