biography;
Isabella Gellis is a British-Canadian composer of acoustic music. Her work often focuses on imagined and disguised sounds, steeped in the silly, absurd, and surreal.

Recent highlights include two works commissioned by Shadwell Opera: an immersive operatic vignette about getting a haircut (for digital release only) and The Devil’s Den’, an opera in one act with libretto also by the composer, premiered at Nevill Holt Festival in June 2024.

This year will also see first performances of two orchestral works; Four Morris Interludes (AMFS commission) played by the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra, and Valedictions, played by the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento, conducted by Finnegan Downie Dear.

Other fun past things include a suite for pianist Joseph Havlat based on Biber’s Battalia à 10 premiered at Dartington, a trio about bowing and blowing for members of Explore Ensemble [Listenpony commission], a string trio about moss premiered at Wigmore Hall [Nash Ensemble commission] and a small piece for the LSO (as a participant of the Panufnik scheme)


She studied at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with a Bicentenary Prize for all-round excellence, the Postgraduate Composition Prize, and the Musicians’ Company Priaulx Rainier Prize. 







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all credited to photographer Ella Pavlides

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