Olivia Ellis, D.M.A.

Dr. Olivia Ellis is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies and Chamber Music at Messiah University. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with Honors from Carson-Newman University. Before coming to Messiah, Dr. Ellis previously taught at Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee and Randall University in Moore, Oklahoma. She has also served on the faculty of the East/West International Piano Festival.

Dr. Ellis enjoys both solo and collaborative performing and is known for her creative programming. She is especially fond of piano ensemble music and actively performs with her duo partner Dr. Lora Gubanov as part of the Chiara Piano Duo. Their repertoire includes duo standards, piano works by Bulgarian composers, and music by women composers, which is one of Dr. Ellis’ primary research interests. Her dissertation focused on a pedagogical approach to piano character pieces by Clara Wieck Schumann. Dr. Ellis frequently presents on Schumann’s life and musical contributions, and she has performed many of her works, including the Konzertsatz in F Minor for piano and orchestra and the Piano Trio in G Minor. She has also championed music by other female composers, including Madeleine Dring, Joan Trimble, Meredith Monk, Valerie Capers, and Mel Bonis.

Dr. Ellis enjoys sharing pedagogical ideas with other teachers. She has been published by Piano Magazine and American Music Teacher magazines, and she frequently posts on her blog, creativepianoteacher.com. She is currently an editor for Piano Magazine and is active in the Music Teachers National Association. She has served as the Southern Division Certification Commissioner, Tennessee Music Teachers Association Executive Secretary/Treasurer, and Chattanooga Music Teachers Association Corresponding Secretary and Media Chair.

Dr. Ellis’ greatest satisfaction is to see her students flourish in the arts. She has taught students of all ages from beginning to advanced levels and is certified to teach Suzuki Piano. She relishes the opportunity to refine each student’s unique abilities and strengths, and she encourages her piano students to find their own musical voice.

D.M.A. Piano Performance and Pedagogy (University of Oklahoma)
M.M. Piano Performance (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
B.M. Piano Performance, with Honors (Carson-Newman University)

Applied Piano
Keyboard Lab
Chamber Music
Collaborative Piano
Piano Four Hands
Piano Pedagogy

Piano pedagogy and literature
Music by women composers
Piano ensemble repertoire
Arts advocacy
Piano music by Clara Wieck Schumann