Ellie Falaris Ganelin is the director of the Kombos Collective, which she founded in 2011 under the name Greek Chamber Music Project. She is a classically trained flutist who welcomes other traditions into the fold, including jazz, Latin, Balkan and klezmer music. She is active as a performer of chamber and orchestral music in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is committed to making classical music inviting and accessible for all as an ambassador and performer for the Awesöme Orchestra Collective.
Born and raised in the United States, Ellie is Greek and Croatian-American, whose father hails from Thessaloniki. She’s a proficient speaker and lifelong learner of Modern Greek. Her work with the Kombos Collective has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and deepen her Hellenic heritage.
Ellie received her B.A. in Music from the University of Maryland, where she also holds a B.A. in Journalism and a Minor in French. For many years, Ellie had a dual career in nonprofit communications, while simultaneously presenting GCMP concerts.