Meet Ella

Meet Ella ’24 — Musician, Scientist, Scholar

At the Academy of the Holy Angels, students are inspired to reach for ambitious goals—blending their passions with purpose. Ella ’24 is a remarkable example of what’s possible when talent, dedication, and opportunity come together.

A Mother Caroline Scholar and recipient of the Nonna Dunphy Scholarship, Ella excelled in both the arts and sciences during her time at Holy Angels. Her academic interests focused on music and biochemistry, leading her to participate in the prestigious Englewood Surgical Science Program, where she gained experience in medical research and in vivo surgical techniques. She also studied modern chemistry through Columbia University’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program and explored future medical careers at Johns Hopkins University during the National Youth Leadership Forum in Advanced Medicine & Health Care.

Ella was deeply involved in school life, from participating in Angels in Anatomy to serving as an Angel Ambassador, sharing her AHA experience with visiting families. She also studied music at Holy Angels and played violin in the Academy Orchestra.

Her musical accomplishments are extraordinary. Ella began her training at Juilliard’s Pre-College Program while still in eighth grade and attended the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival for three summers. She earned the Gold Prize in the Bravura Concerto Competition, performed with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, and placed second in the Coltman Chamber Music Competition. In 2023, she won the Adelphi Young Artist Competition (Senior Division), placed first in the Teen Strings Division of the Music International Grand Prix, and became a finalist in the Vancouver Symphony Young Artist Competition. That same spring, she earned a Gold Medal in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and was a semifinalist in the prestigious Stulberg International String Competition.

As first violinist of the award-winning FaMa Quartet, Ella performed Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major and Hoffmeister’s Duet for Flute and Violin in G Major at the 39th Annual Young Musicians Concert at Alice Tully Hall in New York. She was one of only five AHA musicians invited to this elite showcase, which included top performers from across the Northeast.

Now attending Columbia University through the BCJ Dual Program with Juilliard, Ella continues to pursue her dual passions at two of the world’s most elite institutions.

Ella’s journey reflects the limitless possibilities that await Holy Angels students, where academic excellence meets artistic brilliance, and futures take flight.