Ellie Welker
Ellie Welker, the 2023 Southwest Symphony Solo Competition winner. She graduated with distinction in 2022 from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where she received a graduate certificate in viola performance. With more than 20 years of experience in playing the viola, Welker's performances have taken her to various locations worldwide, including Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Taipei. Besides classical music, she has also made her way to the pop music and Hollywood film score industries, recording albums and performing alongside renowned artists like Christopher Young, Grammy Award winner Zedd, and Asian music icon JJ Lin. Welker currently works as a part-time teaching artist for the youth orchestra of Los Angeles Philharmonic and also as a full-time freelancer violist.