Ellen Zijm

Ellen Zijm (1987) started her studies with Egbert Spelde, at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Enschede, and later with Stefan Hussong at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg, where she graduated with a 10 in November 2013.

Ellen premiered various works, including the solo piece "April" by Iulius Popa (June 2010, Calgary, Canada; January 2011, Radio 4), "Drei Aphorismen" by Mareike Lenz for accordion with string quartet and clarinet (February 2012, Deventer), and "5 Bagatellen" by Michiel Ceulemans (June 2014, Deventer).

She attended masterclasses by Geir Draugsvoll, Claudio Jacomucci, Mie Miki, Inaki Alberdi, and Friedrich Lips, participated in the Summer Academy of the National Youth Orchestra in 2005, 2009, and 2015, and won prizes in various competitions. She has also been featured multiple times on Radio 4, including on programs such as Spiegelzaal and Opium.

Ellen substituted for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Residentie Orkest, and the Asko/Schönberg Ensemble, and performed with HollandOpera, Insomnio, the NJO, and Operafront. With her duo "De Thuiskomst," alongside Quirine van Hoek (violin), she appeared on many major stages and released the CD "De Thuiskomst in the early Baroque" in early 2015.

The unique possibilities of the saxophone and accordion combination are explored by Marijke Schroer and Ellen in the duo SaxYOn. This duo has had compositions dedicated to them by Bernard van Beurden and Ad Wammes. They are regularly involved (sometimes within larger ensembles) in accompanying choirs, including their own arrangements of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and Fauré's Requiem.