Peirce Ellis
BIRTHDAY: May 2003 (Age 17)
PHONE: (267) 538-0339
EMAIL: peirce@ellisvillage.com
CITY: Philadelphia, PA
About
Peirce Ellis
I am a violist and have performed at the White House and in Iceland, New York, Chicago, Miami, and California, and was featured on NPR’s From the Top radio show where I received the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. I am a student at Juilliard Pre-College studying with Toby Appel and during the summer of 2020, participated in Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra, the Wharton School’s business programs, and USC’s Bovard Scholars.
With my brother, after taking a business course at my local community college and two cycles participating in Schoolyard Ventures, I co-founded EllisVillage, an arts-based venture designed to support nonprofit organizations that support young people. Ellis Village performances includes a two-hour set at the Philadelphia Eagles’ Fashion Touchdown fundraiser, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Building Big Awards, and a gala honoring Dionne Warwick.
I also teach violin, viola, and math to elementary-aged students in my small, private studio.
In the past, I have participated in the the Youth Chamber Orchestra in Temple University’s Center for Gifted Young Musicians and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. I have performed nationally with the Perfect Fourth Quartet through the Sphinx Organization. After training with Project 440, I co-designed a classical music presentation and presented it to Philadelphia elementary school students. I have attended summer programs at Meadowmount, NYO2 (where I performed at Carnegie Hall), Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI), Luzerne Music Center, and the Sphinx Performance Academy in Chicago and Cleveland. Former teachers include Kerri Ryan, assistant principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Jean Louise Shook on violin.
I was selected to represent the United States at a two-week leadership program at the International School of Karuizawa in Japan with students from 30 different countries. I’ve also participated in the Kimmel Music Center’s Showstoppers musical theater program. In 2018, I was awarded a Legacy Exists scholarship from the children of boxing legend Joe Frazier for an essay I wrote about their father. I am a recipient of the Marian Anderson Award grant and a 2019 NAACP ACT-SO Gold level winner.
I am homeschooled and the majority of my coursework is through dual enrollment at Drexel University and my local community college.
I’m also tall. Very tall.
PORTFOLIO
Projects
From the Top and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Ernest Bloch Sonata for Viola & Piano, Mvt. 4
From the Top and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Description
I was honored to be chosen to perform on NPRs From the Top and selected to receive the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Details
- NAME: Ernest Bloch Sonata for Viola & Piano, Mvt. 4
- DATE: November 2020
- WORK: Solo
Juilliard Pre-College Chamber Ensemble
Brahms piano quartet no 1 G minor
Juilliard Pre-College Chamber Ensemble
Description
Performance with my Juilliard Pre-College chamber group.
Details
- NAME: Brahms piano quartet no 1 G minor
- DATE: December 2019
- WORK: Chamber
Carnegie Hall National Youth Orchestra
Excerpts from Valerie Colemans “Umoja”
Carnegie Hall National Youth Orchestra
Description
Due to the pandemic, we were unfortunately unable to tour the US during the summer of 2020, but we still made music. Here we play an original composition by Valerie Coleman.
Details
- CLIENT: Carnegie Hall
- DATE: Summer 2020
- WORK: Orchestra
Philadelphia Eagles Fashion Touchdown
Benefit for Independence Big Brothers Big Sisters
Philadelphia Eagles Fashion Touchdown
Description
We were invited to play a two-hour set at the 2019 Philadelphia Eagles Fashion Touchdown, a benefit supporting the Philadelphia chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. The band consists of me, Braden, Yende Mangum on piano, and Greg Masters on drums
Details
- CLIENT: Philadelphia Eagles
- DATE: November 2019
- WORK: Ensemble
Meadowmount Summer Festival
Ginastera: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 20
Meadowmount Summer Festival
Description
During the summer of 2019, I spent seven weeks at Meadowmount. Here, I reunite with one of my Perfect Fourth mates, Maxwell Fairman, as we perform at one of the closing concerts.
Details
- CLIENT: Meadowmount Music Festival
- DATE: Summer 2019
- WORK: Chamber Music
Perfect Fourth at the White House
Sphinx Performance Academy quartet performed for Michelle Obama at the White House
Perfect Fourth at the White House
Description
During the summer of 2016, I attended the Sphinx Performance Academy summer program in Chicago. That fall, my quartet was asked to perform at the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. Quartet members consist of Maxwell Fairman (Violin I), Aidan Daniels (Violin I), Peirce Ellis (Viola), and Nick Reeves (ViolonCello).
Details
– NAME: Mendelssohn Quartet Op. 8, First Movement
- DATE: 15th November 2016
- WORK: Ensemble
Fete for Strings
Youth Chamber Orchestra at Temple Music Prep
Fete for Strings
Description
Performing Jan Krzywicki’s Fete for Strings at the 50th Anniversary Concert of Temple Music Prep
Details
- ORCHESTRA: Temple Music Prep
- DATE: Mayrch 31, 2019
- WORK: Chamber Orchestra
NYO2 2018
NYO2: Malambo Final in Miami
NYO2 2018
Description
For the second year in a row, I was chosen to participate in Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 summer orchestral program. We spent two weeks in New York and an amazing week in Miami at the New World Symphony. Here is our finale performance there. We also performed in Carnegie Hall.
Details
- NAME: Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2
- DATE: Summer 2018
- WORK: Orchestra
Perfect Fourth at NAMM
Interview – And we performed with Black Violin
Perfect Fourth at NAMM
Description
In January 2017, the Sphinx Perfect Fourth Quartet was invited to perform at the NAMM Foundation conference in Anaheim, California. We also performed Black Violin’s “Shaker” with them later in the show.
Project Details
- NAME: NAMM Foundation Interview
- DATE: January 2017
- WORK: Ensemble
X-Country Roadtrip
Southern coast-to-coast route with my mom, brother, and dogs
X-Country Roadtrip
Description
Spent the holidays driving across the country. Got to meet family I’d never met, visit colleges, and see quite a bit of our nation. Stops in Nashville, Dallas, Sweetwater, Las Cruces, Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Flagstaff, Painted Desert, Gallop, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Wytheville, VA
Details
- NAME: Roadtrip
- DATE: December 2017 to January 2018
- WORK: Photography
Solo Performance
Luzerne Music Center Benefit
Solo Performance
Description
Performance benefiting the Luzerne Music Center in December 2017. I attended camp here during the summers of 2014 and 2015.
Details
- NAME: Bach Prelude in D Minor
- DATE: December 3, 2017
- WORK: Solo
Marian Anderson Awards Gala
Honoring Dionne Warwick. Featured performers and part of the house band.
Marian Anderson Awards Gala
Description
My brother and I were asked to perform at the gala honoring Dionne Warwick. Michelle Cann graciously agreed to coach and play piano. Max Chambers (violin) and Eliana Yang (cello) round out the quintet.
We were honored to meet Ms. Warwick, Darlene Love, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr, and The Stylistics. Also honored that music conductor Bill Jolly invited us to be a part of the house band to play with these legends. We also got to perform with one of our first violin teachers, Monique Johnson (seen in pic with Stylistics).
Details
- CLIENT: Marily Anderson Awards Gala
- DATE: November 15, 2017
- WORK: Ensemble
Showstoppers
Performing in “Grease” at the Kimmel Center
Showstoppers
Description
Since Fall 2016, I have been a part of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Showstoppers musical theater program. Here, I am performing in Grease. Past shows also include Aladdin and an original tribute to Philadelphia music. I also performed My Shot (from Hamilton) during our last production.
Details
- NAME: Showstoppers at the Kimmel Center
- DATE: Spring 2017
- WORK: Acting
You Matter to Me – Piano
Playing this song from Broadway’s Waitress
You Matter to Me – Piano
Description
I taught myself how to play this song on the piano. My mom is singing.
Project Details
- NAME: “You Matter to Me” from Waitress
- DATE: Fall 2017
- WORK: Piano
Chamber Music
The Trowbridge Quartet at Settlement Music School
Chamber Music
Description
Performing Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 12 in F major with my string quartet at Settlement Music School in South Philadelphia.
Details
- NAME: Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 12 in F major
- DATE: Spring 2017
- WORK: Ensemble
The Sphinx Story
The Sphinx Story
Description
A video about the Sphinx Organization, an organization that supports Black and Latino classical musicians. My 2016 quartet, the Perfect Fourth, can be seen it. The cover photo is of my 2017 quartet.
Details
- VIDEO: The Sphinx Story
- WORK: Classical
Seitz Concerto
Age 9. Performing with my violin teacher, Jean Louise Shook
Seitz Concerto
Description
Age 9. Performed at Settlement Music School in Germantown.
Details
- NAME: Seitz Concerto
- DATE: 2012
- WORK: Solo
A Winter’s Tale
Our kid-adapted version of Shakespeare’s play
A Winter’s Tale
Description
We filmed this in the backyard when I was five years old.
Project Details
- CLIENT: A Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare
- DATE: April 2008
- WORK: Acting
Adventure Aquarium
Commercial: Filled With Fascination
Adventure Aquarium
Description
My family and I were featured in Adventure Aquarium’s commercials, billboard and print ads. Some of these are still in use. I was five or six when this was filmed.
Details
- CLIENT: Adventure Aquarium
- DATE: 2008 to present
- WORK: Acting
Contact
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