Hometown:
Monrovia, California
Education:
San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Bachelor of Music (2024)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Master of Music (2026)
Bio:
Ella Askren is a recent graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under Simon James & Cordula Merks. She has performed at the 2020 Grammy Awards with Lang Lang & Joshua Bell, in concert with Kygo, in San Francisco Symphony & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra side-by-sides, and often with the Monterey, Oakland, Modesto, and Stockton Symphonies. Past summers have included the National Repertory Orchestra and the Meadowmount School.
What inspired you to become a musician?
Classical music was always playing in the house as I grew up. My parents took me to see the Berlin Phil play Mahler 5 with Simon Rattle when I was very young, and it made a big impression on me.
Name your favorite composers and/or pieces:
Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Verklärte Nacht by Arnold Schoenberg, and Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss.
What is an interesting fact about you and/or your instrument?
I own (almost) every book that Haruki Murakami has ever written! My favorites are his set of interviews with Seiji Ozawa, and Kafka on the Shore.
When taking a break from music-making, what is your favorite thing to do?
I like to play video games, read and watch movies, hike, and spend time with my cat, Cleo!
Why did you choose the NRO?
I had a great experience here last summer, and really wanted to come back. The variety and pace of repertoire we cover keeps things super engaging, and it’s a supportive environment to continue to grow my orchestral experience.