Ellis Thompson is a violinist based in Manchester, UK, graduating with an MMus from the Royal Northern College of Music in 2017under the tutelage of Julia Hanson, and with a BMus (Hons) degree in Music from the University of Birmingham in 2012. Between the two, he continued his musical studies in Innsbruck (2012-14) and Vienna (2015, at the Vienna Konservatorium) whilst working as an English language assistant for the British Council. Alongside the violin, he has studied viola with Heather Wallington and Baroque violin with Pauline Nobes and Caroline Balding.
Ellis has performed with Manchester Camerata, Mowbray Orchestra, Skipton Camerata, London Gala Orchestra, Dartington Festival Orchestra, Northern Baroque Sinfonia and Chameleon Arts Baroque Orchestra, in addition to the cross-genre Kaleidoscope and GSD orchestras. Premières of contemporary works have been given at Artsfest Birmingham, Salford’s Lowry Gallery, and both the New Music North West and London Contemporary Music festivals.
Taking music into the wider community, Ellis participated in a recent Music and Dementia outreach project, “So Many Beauties”, directed by Holly Marland, and has worked with young musicians in collaboration with In Harmony, Lancashire Youth Orchestra andPiccadilly Symphony Orchestra. Currently a tutor at Ramsbottom Music Centre, Ellis also works as a coach for Cotswold Music Tutors’ Summer Courses.
Other festival appearances include the Cantiere Internazionale d’Arte di Montepulciano, the New Generation Festival in Florence, and Dartington International Summer School.
Currently a member of the ‘Ellison’ and ‘Covers’ string quartets and the ‘Tjiok’ piano trio, his love of chamber music has also led to performances across Yorkshire as a participant of Vacation Chamber Orchestras courses, in addition to regular wedding and function engagements on both violin and viola.
Upcoming events include performances of La Traviata with Tayside Opera, and an exciting tour of Germany with the Argo Ensemble.
Away from the violin, Ellis has appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, accompanying improvised comedy shows with the ‘Watch This’ Improv Troupe on piano, and with other shows playing bass guitar.
A keen music arranger, he also enjoys travelling, swimming and foreign languages.