Ellen Spondike

Ellen (Vance) Spondike is honored to be a part of the Tamburitzan production staff and enjoys working with the student performers. Though she has helped with Tamburitzan costumes in the past, her main costume experience has been in musical theater, volunteering in the costume shop of Pittsburgh Musical Theater, and making and fitting costumes for her own students at school, 

Ellen was a member of the Tamburitzans from 1988 to 1992 while earning a degree in Music Education from Duquesne University.  She continued her education at Carnegie Mellon University earning a Master of Music in Flute Performance. Ellen teaches band and orchestra at Shaler Area Middle School and also directs the school plays and musicals. She performs regularly with the North Pittsburgh Symphonic  Band, the West Hills Symphonic Band, The Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Savoyards Orchestra, and also enjoys playing in musical pits throughout the region. When Ellen isn’t sewing, teaching, or practicing, her hobbies include traveling with her husband, visiting her children in Philadelphia and New York City, and seeing them perform.