After growing up in Montgomery County, becoming a Strathmore Artist in Residence (AIR) feels like returning home for cellist Ellen Gira.
Gira is among the six musicians chosen for the Strathmore program dedicated to helping musicians transition into their careers through mentorship, professional events and performance opportunities.
The cellist grew up studying classical music locally and even took part in Strathmore’s Classic Youth Orchestra from eighth to 12th grade. She even heard her first live performance of the folk cello, her current genre of focus, at Strathmore.
“I was lucky enough to benefit from the wonderful music scene here in Montgomery County…and decided that I wanted to pursue music while I was growing up here,” said Gira. “I feel like I kind of grew up at Strathmore.”
After high school, Gira attended the Cleveland Institute of Music before moving to Glasgow, Scotland, for further study of folk music.
She now performs a mix of original compositions and her own reinterpretations of traditional Scottish, Irish and Appalachian folk.
“A really neat thing about folk and traditional music is that it both celebrates its past…while also celebrating all the tradition there is now,” said Gira.
During her time as an AIR, Gira looks forward to having a platform to share her music and to collaborating with her fellow musicians in the program.
“It’s just really neat how we all come from different backgrounds and different musical styles,” said Gira. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we create.”
Gira and the other members of the 2026 Class will make their Artist in Residence stage debut at the “Fresh AIR” performance on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Strathmore’s Music Center.
Tickets for the performance go on sale for Strathmore members on Monday, Aug. 25.
