Ellen Denham

Dr. Ellen Denham is an accomplished singer, voice teacher, director, and writer with a broad range of expertise across performance, teaching, directing, and creative writing. Dr. Denham holds a Doctorate in Vocal Performance and Literature with a Cognate in Theatre from the University of Illinois, following a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music.

Dr. Denham has taught at several respected institutions, including Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, where she has directed more than 15 opera and theatrical productions, Earlham College, Georgia College, and the University of Illinois. Over her two decades of teaching at the college level, she has helped numerous students receive prestigious awards from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), perform as soloists with community and professional organizations, and gain acceptance into competitive graduate programs in voice at institutions such as NYU, Indiana University, Kentucky State University, and Ball State University. At TAMU-CC, her students have played key roles in both opera and musical theatre productions, demonstrating her effectiveness in preparing students for the stage.

A dynamic and innovative director, Dr. Denham began her directing career with experimental theatre projects at the Indy Convergence arts residency. She has since been recognized as a finalist for the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize from the American Prize for Stage Directors, reflecting her creative and impactful work. Dr. Denham’s directing credits include the world premiere of Olivia’s Ocean for TAMU-CC Opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors for Music on Site, Inc., and several experimental and collaborative works exploring improvisation and the intersection of genres. In 2013, she directed the Umbrella Project at Indy Convergence, exploring themes of Otherness through collaborative, improvisational performance. Dr. Denham has received multiple grants from the Indiana Arts Commission and has presented her work at the National Opera Association National Conference.

A versatile performer, Dr. Denham has lent her vocal talents to opera, musical theatre, and concert solo work. She is known for her interpretive skills, clear tone, and expressive ornamentation. Her operatic and musical theatre roles include Violet in Rorem’s A Childhood Miracle, Martha Sheldon in Ward’s The Crucible, and Jenny in The Threepenny Opera. As a concert soloist, Dr. Denham has performed works ranging from the Monteverdi Vespers to Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Dixit Dominus. She has also performed the works of composers such as Salvatore Martiranoand Adam Rudolph, participating in collaborative performances with the Go: Organic Orchestra.

Dr. Denham is also an accomplished writer, with a background in fiction and article writing. She is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop and has had her work published in magazines such as Lightspeed and Daily Science Fiction, as well as contributing articles to Classical Singer magazine. Combining her writing and performance expertise, Dr. Denham has written several works for the stage, including the libretto for The Willow Maiden, a ballet produced by Butler Ballet. Other stage works include Homo Homarus, a musically improvised opera, and the adaptations Pinstripe Harry’s Tea Room Cabaret and Midsummer Night’s Music for TAMU-CC Opera.

Her research primarily focuses on improvisation in opera. She has presented on this subject at various conferences, and her doctoral project on improvisation in opera has contributed significantly to the field. Dr. Denham also explores the relationship between music and poetry, as seen in her essay on Schubert and Goethe. A proponent of cross-disciplinary collaboration, Dr. Denham continues to expand the boundaries of her craft, coordinating an annual improvisation festival at TAMU-CC.

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