Ellen Sargen is a composer, performer and researcher based in Manchester. She is currently studying for a PhD in long-term composer-performer collaboration at the RNCM with Larry Goves and Steven Daverson. This series of work has included projects with House of Bedlam and Ensemble Recherche as well as with long-term collaborations with soloists up and down the UK including Sarah Watts (clarinets), Ella Taylor (soprano), Amy Jolly (cello), Darren Gallacher (percussion), Jenni Hogan (flute) and Ben Evans (bass). This portfolio has been performed at Ensemblehaus (Freiberg), Bishopsgate Institute (London), Firth Hall (Sheffield), RNCM Concert Hall (Manchester) and featured by OperaVision, RNCM Future Music Festivals, RNCM PLAY Festivals and Incognito Manchester in the concert hall and in audiovisual formats. Commissions have included those from National Opera Studio and Ellen’s latest piece ‘Lost in your whole world’ was broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

As a practitioner Ellen works in both education and the community. She is MD of CoMA Manchester, with whom she recently directed their Arts Council funded and environment focussed ‘Streaming Blue’ project (2021-2022). This connected local communities with their green and blue space through music, installation and discussion. Ellen is Events and Participation Coordinator at Music in the Round (Sheffield) where she works closely with schools and other education partners to deliver events from Early Years to Higher Education. Ellen is currently producing Music in the Round’s WeCompose project and leading workshops in South Yorkshire schools to support KS3 students compose pieces for Music in the Round’s Bridge Quintet.

Ellen’ s PhD is supported by the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership. Previously, her MA at University of Sheffield (supervised by Dorothy Ker) was supported by the University of Sheffield Postgraduate Scholarship and Julian Payne Tuition Fee Scholarship. Ellen is an associate composer of University of York Music Press.