Josef Ellis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Kean University. While at Kean, he was a member of PEAK, where he was a featured soloist, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Winds, as well as a guest musician with the Choir. He was also selected to perform with the Intercollegiate Jazz Ensemble as well as the Intercollegiate Wind Ensemble. As an outreach, he performed concerts at schools for the deaf where he interacted with the students through music.
Josef is one of the in demand Percussionists around the tri-state area. He performs with various types of groups including the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Opera, Orchestra at Christ Church of Oyster Bay, Chancel Choir of Smoke Rise, Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair Orchestra, Hot Air Jazz, Watson, Broadway Sings, Manny Soundz, Io & Friends, and Groove Elements. He has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, The Great Auditorium, The Museum of Modern Art, Subrosa NYC, Silvana, Cecil’s Jazz Club, Trumpet’s Jazz Club, Shanghai Jazz, UCPAC, and the Urban Nest to name a few.
Josef is also very active in the musical theatre scene. He has played in the pits for Footloose, Guys and Dolls, Urinetown, Once Upon a Mattress, Willie Wonka, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Shrek, The Music Man, Carousel, Rent, High School Musical, Nine, American Idiot (NJ Premier), and Wild Party.
He currently has a private studio consisting of 30 percussion students and teaches music in the Berkeley Heights Public School district. Josef is available for master classes and clinics throughout the year.
“Joe Ellis is a sensitive musician and a warm human being.”