Laura Ellis
Laura Ellis serves the University of Florida as associate professor in the School of Music. Dr. Ellis teaches undergraduate and graduate organ, harpsichord, and carillon. In addition to her duties as university organist, Ellis serves as curator for the Andrew Anderson Memorial Pipe Organ in the University Auditorium, the Carillon in the Century Tower, and the historic keyboard instruments housed in the School of Music.

A native of Minnesota, Ellis is a magna cum laude graduate of Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) and holds a Master of Music degree in church music and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance from the University of Kansas. Her major organ teachers have been William Kuhlman and James Higdon. While in residence at the University of Kansas, she studied carillon with Albert Gerken.

Prior to her Florida appointment, Ellis served as professor of music at McMurry University and held the position of parish organist at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene, TX. Ellis began her teaching career at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas.

During June 2008 Ellis performed two recitals at the International Carillon Festival in Springfield, Illinois. In October 2007 Ellis traveled to Australia for a series of five recitals, including a solo organ recital on the Great Hall Organ at the University of Sydney. She also performed solo carillon recitals at the University of Sydney and at the National Carillon in the capital city of Canberra.

Recital engagements as organist have included appearances with the Jacksonville (FL) Symphony, Piccolo Spoleto (Charleston, SC), Westminster Abbey, and various locations throughout Florida, Texas, and the South. In addition to her regular performances on the carillon in Century Tower on the University of Florida campus, Ellis has performed solo carillon recitals at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Spokane, WA; Iowa State University; House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; the University of Chicago; the Millennium Carillon, Naperville, IL; the Chicago Botanic Gardens; the University of Toronto; and the Metropolitan Church, Toronto.

A former winner of the Gruenstein Memorial Organ Competition, Ellis is active as a recitalist and clinician. Her CD entitled “Legacy: Laura Ellis Plays the Organ Works of Jeanne Demessieux,” was released under the Pro Organo label.

Ellis serves the American Guild of Organists (AGO) as District Convener for the state of Florida. In addition, she is active in the Guild of Carillonneurs of North America (GCNA) and holds the position of director of the Music and Publications Committee.

Information on the organ program at the University of Florida may be found at: www.arts.ufl.edu/organ. For more details about the carillon at the University of Florida, please visit: www.arts.ufl.edu/carillon.

Ellis may be contacted directly at: lrellis@ufl.edu