people

Biography

Nolan Ehlers joined the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra in May of 2024 as Orchestra Manager and Librarian. Nolan brings experience in concert production from his work with the chamber trio Else if Else, and the multidisciplinary collective Inland Ocean.

As a percussionist, Nolan Ehlers has performed across the United States, Canada, Germany, and Belgium. His passion for contemporary music has led him to commission and premiere works from acclaimed composers such as Michael Gordon, John Supko, and Molly Joyce. Nolan has appeared as a soloist with the University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lawrence University Percussion Ensemble, and he can be heard on recordings for the José Limón Dance Company and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has performed with Ensemble Modern, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, and the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra.

Nolan founded Else if Else, a trio of piano, double bass, and percussion. This trio explores composed and improvised music, blurring the lines between the two in performance. Else if Else has premiered many new works written for the ensemble, and has been selected as an Ensemble-in-Residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Nolan’s passion for Afro Cuban drumming has led to multiple trips to Matanzas, Cuba, where he studied with the acclaimed rumba group Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Nolan directed Lawrence University’s Afro Cuban ensemble Tambo Toké, and he received a Downbeat Student Music Award for a collaborative performance with the Lawrence University Jazz Band.

Nolan earned a Master of Music in Percussion Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), and a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from Lawrence University.