Monica Ellis is a GRAMMY® Award-winning, four-time nominated bassoonist and founding member of the internationally acclaimed wind quintet, Imani Winds. For nearly three decades, she and her ensemble have captivated audiences with dynamic performances, adventurous programming, and an unwavering commitment to commissioning new works, fostering collaborations, and engaging in educational outreach. Their 10th studio album, Passion for Bach and Coltrane, composed by Jeff Scott and released on their own label, Imani Winds Media, earned the group its first GRAMMY® Award.

A proud “band kid” from Pittsburgh, Monica’s musical journey began on clarinet, saxophone, and piano before discovering the bassoon in middle school. She studied with Mark Pancerev of the Pittsburgh Symphony, later earning her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music under George Sakakeeny. It was at Oberlin where her passion for community-building flourished, most notably through the Panama Project, a month-long immersive camp for young Panamanian musicians. She went on to receive a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School and a Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, studying orchestral performance with Frank Morelli at both institutions.

Monica’s wide-ranging career includes performances and recordings with world-renowned artists and organizations from Wayne Shorter to the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She has appeared as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, and Chineke! Orchestra at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Her discography includes 10 acclaimed albums with Imani Winds (on labels including Imani Winds Media, Bright Shiny Things, Koch International Classics, eOne, and EMI Classics.

A dedicated educator and mentor, Monica is on the faculty of both the Curtis Institute of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, and has held teaching roles at The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program, The University of Chicago, and the Mannes School of Music. She is a highly sought-after clinician, frequently presenting master classes and solo recitals across the country.

As co-artistic and executive director of Imani Winds and its annual Chamber Music Festival, Monica is a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship and equity in classical music. She also serves as treasurer of the Imani Winds Foundation, and sits on the boards of the Concert Artists Guild and the International Double Reed Society (IDRS). A respected voice on issues of race, gender, and representation in the arts, she is often invited to speak and lead conversations on these topics.

The daughter of a jazz saxophonist and a fashion-forward mother, Monica was raised in a household full of creativity, ambition, and style. She is a Fox Bassoon Artist, performing exclusively on a Model 201.

Among her most meaningful recognitions is Imani Winds’ inclusion in the permanent classical music exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

Monica lives New York City’s historic village of Harlem, where she enjoys home decorating, never misses an episode of Jeopardy!, and is the proud mother of her greatest joy, her 12-year-old son, Oden.