Shawn Ellison

Shawn Ellison has been playing music full-time since 1982. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, he began playing the piano at ago eight. He has worked as a pianist, sideman. band leader, arranger, composer, church organist, and ballet class accompanist. He has composed numerous works for dance, working with several choreographers. In 1985, he composed "Texas", a 40-minute modern ballet choreographed by Ricardo Garcia. It was performed at UT's Bass Concert Hall. Since 1987, he has worked as an accompanist with the annual Joffrey Workshop TX in San Antonio, and additional work in The Elite Ecole TX as well.  His former band, Native Sun, was voted Best Jazz Band in the Austin Chronicle Music Poll in 1990, 1991 and 1992. In 1990, he toured Scotland with the UT Jazz Orchestra as part of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. In 1998, he toured Japan with the Legends of Rock. He has performed onstage with Cat Anderson. Slide Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Phyllis Diiler, and Frank Gorshin. He has performed regularly at Tarry House since 1989. He is currently the musical director of Something's Afoot, a dance program for elementary school children. He has composed and arranged songs and instrumental pieces for three one-hour length shows for Something's Afoot. He is also currently working with the Austin Jazz Workshop, a program that brings jazz education to elementary schools. Shawn plays solo piano, as well as with duos, trios and quartets, entertaining at weddings, parties and receptions.