Ellen Mayer has been accompanying the Kevin O'Day Ballet of the National Theatre in Mannheim since 2002 and she has played at the National Theatre Mannheim and the Schauspiel Frankfurt for varying theatre productions and musicals. Besides playing with national and international artists Ellen has had regular appearances with her own band „Formatura” as well as spots at jazz festivals.

Ellen is the author of the percussion book series „World of Percussion“ for the music publisher „Schott Music“ in which the first three books „Conga“, „Bongo“ and "Cajón" have already been released. Besides Ellen produced and published her first children’s audiobook „Lisa, die kleine Maus vom Emmichplatz und das Orchester“ for Rodenstein Klassik in 2011.

Ellen is tutor for cuban music at „Band Connection“ in Walldorf and is teaching Cuban and Brazilian percussion in her private studio in Mannheim and Augsburg.

In 2005 Ellen was awarded a Baden-Württemberg scholarship to Salvador de Bahia / Brasil for six months. She studied at the Escola de Música (UFBA) under Jorge Sacramento and played with many musicians from Bahia.

In summer 2004 she travelled to Cuba to discover for herself the roots of Cuban music and to take lessons there by various teachers. Returning to Germany she accompanied Robin Gibb (BeeGees) on the German „Magnetic Tour” (DVD Live/CD).

From 1998 - 2001 she studied Eurythmics at the College of Music in Hanover, leaving to study percussion under César Granados and Márcio Alves at the Latin-Percussion-School in Munich. She completed her Eurythmics studies and began four years of percussion at the College of Music in Mannheim in the jazz section under Prof. José J. Cortijo. She completed her studies (Hanover, Munich and Mannheim) in 2006.

Her musical career began at the age of six when she started to take viola lessons. Later she entered various ensembles and orchestras and won many prizes in competitions and toured throughout Russia, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Italy and the USA.

Festivals:

> AUGENBLICK MAL! Deutsches Theatertreffen Berlin
> Enjoy Jazz Festival Mannheim
> Woma Jazz Festival Italien

Composers:

> Biber Gullatz
> Viola Kramer
> Frank Nimsgern
> Harald Weiss
> John King
> Robyn Schulkowsky
> Michael Kiedaisch
> Manfred Schreier

Musicians / Artists:

> Chako Habekost
> Chocolate
> Cristobal Petit
> Gagey Mrotzeck
> Ina Boo
> Jessica Wahls
> Joe Gallardo
> Kamary Phillips
> Klaus Meine
> Robin Gibb

Shows:

> Drum Conversation www.drum-conversation.com
> Die Nacht Der Trommel www.dienachtdertrommel.de

Theatre / Musicals:

> Burgfestspiele Bad Vilbel
> Nationaltheater Mannheim
> Schauspiel Frankfurt
> Theater und Orchester Heidelberg

TV / Radio:

> PRO 7
> SAT 1
> SWR Radio
> SWR TV
> ZDF

Ellen is Endorser for Meinl Percussion & Cymbals since 2004