Robbie Ellis is a broadcaster, composer, music director, and comedy songmaker. He works at Classical WFMT Chicago as the host of Sunday Afternoons and as the producer and presenter of Introductions, a weekly show that profiles local pre-college musicians. He started in classical radio at RNZ Concert in Wellington.
He's worked as an event MC for the International Music Foundation, Cedille Records and the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra; and he's been a teaching artist with Chicago Opera Theater, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and The Second City. He's also toured on land and sea with the latter company as a music director.
As a composer, Robbie studied at the University of Auckland and held the Mozart Fellowship, a composer residency at the University of Otago. His works have been performed by numerous New Zealand orchestras, chamber ensembles and choirs, and he's co-created comedy classical concerts with both the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago and Fourth Coast Ensemble.
He is an improv music director with RIFF: Chicago's Music Improv Party and ComedySportz Chicago. His debut musical comedy album Pumpkins came out in 2018, and his second album is due out this year.
