Born in Steinach an der Saale /Unterfranken. Study of German and Theology at the Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg. Study of “Medieval and Renaissance Vocal Music“, and musicology at the Brabant Conservatory in Tilburg, Holland. International master classes with Andrea von Ramm, Jill Feldman, Marcel Pérès and Pedro Memelsdorff. Soloist at many international festivals in Poland, Holland, Austria, France, and Germany. Founder and director of the internationally acclaimed specialist vocal ensembles Vox Nostra and Archaica. Musical advisor to many medieval ensembles including Ars Cantus (Breslau/Polen) and Schola Witracensis (Weitra/Österreich) Extensive musicological activity in the research of medieval source material. Instructor in the field of music sociology at the Humboldt University, Berlin. Teaches workshops and seminars on the interpretation and performance practice of medieval vocal music. Director of the Baroque opera ZENOBIA from Tommaso Albioni (1694) for the Syrian National Opera Damascus / Cultural Capital Damascus 2008. Lives and works in Berlin.
Study of musicology in Berlin. Awarded with a stipendium for study in Basel with Wulf Arlt. Study of voice at the Akademie für Alte Musik/Hochschule Bremen with Harry van der Kamp. Ensemble Singer: Collegium Vocale Gent, Las Huelgas Ensemble, Vocalconsort Berlin, Musica Fiata Köln, LauttenCompagney Berlin. Collaboration with Philipp Herreweghe, René Jacobs, Marcus Creed, Attilio Cremonesi. Concert touring in France, Israel, Luxembourg, USA, Syria, Sweden. Participation in diverse productions of Sasha Waltz & Guests (Dido and Aeneas, Medea- Dialoge 2006/2009)
Born in New York City, USA. Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Brown University, USA. Study of medieval performance practice with Barbara Thornton (Köln). Studied “ Medieval vocal ensemble music“ at the Brabants Conservatory, The Netherlands. Private vocal study with Jessica Cash (London), and Jill Feldman (Paris) Participation in master classes with Marcel Peres, Benjamin Bagby, Pedro Memelsdorf, Andrea von Ramm. Collaboration with Sequentia (Cologne) 1996-1999. Performances of the music of Hildegard of Bingen in Europe, America, and Australia. CD Recording for BMG Records "O Jerusalem" (1997). Founding member of Vox Nostra, as well as the women’s ensemble Elysium. Recordings with Elysium on Decca Records (London), "Auvergne Chants" (2001), "Cinema Italiano" (2001)
Born in Dresden, and member of the Dresdner Kreuzchor. Study at the University of the Arts, Berlin, and the Music Conservatory in Lübeck with Professor Ute Niss and Marin Hundelt. Teacher: Kurt Moll. Master classes and private instruction with Kurt Moll, Harald Stamm, Elisabeth Ritchie, Marc Wildman, Joachim Beyer, Kai Wessel, Irwin Gage, Norman Shetler (Lied) and Esther de Bros. Collaboration with Pierre Boulez, Roman Brogli-Sacher, Nicolas McGeegan, Marcus Lehtinen, Gerd Müller-Lorenz, Frank Strobel and Ralf Popken. Opera Roles: Figaro (Mozart) Sarastro, Masetto, Kaspar (Weber), Polphem (Handel). Festival appearances as a solo singer: „Göttinger Händelfestspielen“, “Lucerne Festival”, „Festival Mitte Europa“, "Klangspuren Schwaz”, Eutiner Festspiele (with the Hamburger Symphonikern). Various Cd productions
1985-1989 studied composition and piano at the Music Conservatory “Hanns Eisler”, Berlin. Contemporary music courses (International Bartók Seminar in Szombathely, Hungary, 1989 composition prize at the “Geraer Ferienkurse für zeitgenössische Musik” in Gera, Germany). 1989-1991 advanced studies in composition with Friedrich Goldmann at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin. Diverse composition stipendium. Since 1990, teacher for music theory and piano at various private and public schools as well as at the Music Conservatory “Hanns Eisler”. Ellen Hünigen’s own music has been performed by various ensembles in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and USA. 1996-2000 musicology studies at the Humboldt-University in Berlin, with a particular focus on the earliest sources of Western composition, paleography, and music manuscripts of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Docent in these subjects intermittently at this institution. Founding member of the vocal ensemble VOX NOSTRA. Courses on the interpretation of medieval music in Berlin, Kloster Retz (Austria), Heiligengrabe and Lehnin (1998 – 2003) with Burkard Wehner, Schola Cantorum (Bale) with Cathleen Dineen and Eric Mentzel (2002), Kloster Zinna (2003) with Maria Jonas, Berlin (2004) with Eric Mentzel. Singing lessons for many years with Joachim Vogt. Member of the vocal ensemble “Musikalischer Religionsdialog” which aims to connect and to interweave music of Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox Christian, Byzantine and Muslim traditions. Since 2008 working on a dissertation on musical notation in Aquitanian music manuscripts of the 12th century. Member of the Research Training Group 1458 “Iconicity of Writing Systems” at the Free University Berlin.
Born in Alamo, California, U.S.A. B. A. Environmental Science, University of California, Berkeley 1995. Exchange student University of Bergen, Norway, Environmental Studies 1992-1994. Alfred Hertz Traveling Stipendium, University of California, Berkeley 1996. Early Music Voice Degree, Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Trossingen. 2001 Private study of medieval harp, with Judy Kadar, and, Arabic Music, with Farhan Sabbagh. Solo and ensemble singer in diverse contexts including: Member of ensembles Green/Sudmann (Contemporary Art Song), Elysium (Vocal ensemble. Recorded for Decca), Kusskuss (Early Baroque music), Teatro de Liezenbourg (Baroque Opera. Played lead Role of Procride in modern premier of Giovanni Buononcini´s opera Cefalo e Procride). Collaboration with Sarband , Ensemble Penalosa, Ordo Virtutum, Alta Musica, Friedrich Lichtenstein (Boccia Saal, Carmen Miranda Revue Pavillion, Park)
Born in Munich. From 1985-1991: Member of the Tölzer Boy’s Choir. Performed nationally and internationally as a soloist under directors such as Claudio Abbado, George Solti, Leonard Bernstein. From 1998-2003: Study of jazz piano at the Richard-Strauss Conservatory (Munich), and the HfM Franz Liszt Weimar. Private vocal study with Beatrice Niehoff (Berlin) and Gundula Anders (Leipzig). Since 2004: Based in Berlin as a freelance pianist and singer.
Music and geography teacher in Berlin. Pedagogical and performance degree in piano under Thea Boué-Noack (Mainz). Private vocal instruction with Bettina Spreitz-Rundfeldt, Ralph Eschrig, Evelyn Tubb und Stephen Varcoe (Dartington Summer school). Solo and ensemble bass (focus Early Music). Pianist /accompanist of Lied repertoire of the 19th and 20th century.