Ellen Connors

Michigan native Ellen Connors grew up in a musical family, playing the piano and singing, but she fell in love with orchestral music after taking up the bassoon in middle school. Following high school studies with Wendy Rose, she completed her bachelor’s degree at Rice University as a student of Ben Kamins and went on to earn her master’s degree at Yale University as a student of Frank Morelli. In between degrees, a Watson Fellowship took her to China, Mongolia, Laos, Bulgaria, and Norway for a year to study folk song.

As a student, Connors had fellowships at Tanglewood and Aspen, and as a young professional she spent several summers performing contemporary music in Lucerne, Switzerland. A new music advocate, she has appeared with Alarm Will Sound and in 2019 was Principal Bassoon of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California.

Connors was appointed Contrabassoonist of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in 2024. She also serves as Principal Bassoon of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio, a position she has held since 2011. In the past, she served as Principal Bassoon of the Knoxville Symphony, the Sarasota Opera, and the Artosphere Festival Orchestra. Additionally, she has appeared with the Baltimore Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony. She has spent summers in Idaho as Contrabassoonist of the Sun Valley Music Festival since 2011.