My violin program provides beginning to advanced violinists, ages 7 to adult, with personalized, professional instruction. Students are given a solid foundation that will enable them to reach progressively higher levels of technical and musical achievement while complementing their enjoyment of the violin.  They will learn to appreciate classical music through exposure to the solo, chamber and symphonic repertoire, and will be expertly guided in the development of self-discipline, a quality that is essential in achieving musical success as well as promoting a lifelong love of music. 

~Ellen

Ellen Madison is a noted music educator and violinist from Albany, New York. For the past twenty-five years, Ms. Madison has worked with students of all ages and abilities. In addition to maintaining a teaching schedule for 35 violin students, Ms. Madison has been a violin coach and adjudicator for the Empire State Youth Orchestra, the Music Director of the Albany Medical College Chamber Orchestra, Co-founder of the Saratoga Youth Symphony and Northeast String Orchestra, Inc. In addition to her online, private and group violin instruction, Ms. Madison is also a “Music Mentor,” a teacher for children and adults who are interested in learning the elements of music structure, rhythm, theory, history, symbols and terminology, and overall musicianship skills. 

As a performer, Ms. Madison's current and past affiliations include the Albany String Quartet, Albany Classical Trio, Albany Symphony Orchestra, Albany Pro Musica Orchestra, the former St. Cecelia Chamber Orchestra, Amor Artis Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Chamber Orchestra, Vermont Symphony, Tanglewood Conductors Workshop Orchestra and the Aspen Music Festival Orchestra. Ms. Madison also served as Principal Second Violin in the Orchestra de Camera de Granada in Spain. This 16-piece chamber orchestra toured throughout Europe, produced recordings and performed a National Inaugural Concert for the King and Queen of Spain.

Ms. Madison pursued her musical studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston, SUNY Purchase, and New York University. Ms. Madison holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Violin Performance. She has also studied at the prestigious L’Ecole d’Art Americaines in Fontainbleau, France; the Italian Music Festival in Montevarchi and Todi, Italy; the Aspen Music School; the Chautauqua Institution Summer Music Festival; and the New York State Summer School of the Arts, School of Orchestral Studies. Ms. Madison’s primary violin instructors were Hyo Kang and Masao Kawasaki.

Ms. Madison has served on the Board of the Empire State Youth Orchestra, the Northeast String Orchestra, and is a member of the American String Teachers Association and the American Federation of Musicians.