Meet the Director

Director of Choral Activities

Mrs. Ellen J. Bowen

Ellen J. Bowen: BM Voice and cello performance Ball State University, Indiana; M.S Guidance, Counseling Education; Butler University, Indiana; Master of Music, Choral and Instrumental Conducting Oakland University, Post Graduate Music Technology and Music Education University of Michigan, and Michigan State University.

At Grosse Pointe South her groups and soloists have been in the top 10 of the state in the Michigan School Vocal Music Association Solo and Ensemble Festivals. The Pointe Singers are the 1997, 1998 and 1999 National Showstoppers winners. Ellen is also the director of the All School musical which has a national reputation for excellence.

Ellen's students have been accepted to the finest schools of music. In the past four years students have been accepted and are majoring in music at such fine universities as the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, University of Michigan, College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, New York University, and the North Carolina School for the Arts to name only a few.

Ellen, most recently, was responsible for the creation of a 25 station MIDI lab where over 50 students were trained in Music Technology I and II this year. Students are sequencing with the Korg Trinity 88 keyboard, Korg N364 workstations and Cakewalk Professional. Theory students are composing in Finale 2005 and Sonar Sequencing and using the latest equipment with DAT recorders. We all look forward to the development of a recording studio and the advancement of audio and video in our programming.

As the chairperson of the EPLC music curriculum committee, she was responsible for incorporating the National Music Standards into the music curriculum. Founder of the annual Madrigal Dinner, South maintains a complete program from beautiful costumes to original comic scripts to the boars head. In the years 2000-2003, The Pointe Singers, under Ellen Bowen's direction performed 37 shows of the Holiday Pops Yuletide Festival and the Holiday Pops Concerts with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at Detroit's Historic Orchestra Hall today known as The Max.

Mrs. Bowen was the featured speaker at the Cincinnati American Choral Director's Workshop on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2000. The choirs under Ellen Bowen's leadership have won three National Show Choir titles, been named State finalist in both Choral, Small Ensemble and Soloist over 30 different times from 1986-present and have traveled to Spain and Italy. This year, 81 students will travel to Germany, Austria and Prague to perform six performances in celebration of Mozart's 250th Birthday. The touring choir will perform in two cathedrals, two high schools, and two Performing Arts Centers.

Mrs. Bowen directs the All School musicals where the 2006 musical "West Side Story" will be performed April 4-9th at the Grosse Pointe Performing Arts Center.

As the chairperson for Show and Music Theater for the ACDA-MI. Ellen Bowen is the author of a tri annual article in the award winning magazine Bella Voce. She is a state and national judge for MSVMA and National Show Choir competitions.