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Scarlett Ellender is a pianist and educator based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who maintains an active career as a teacher, church and event musician, and collaborative pianist.

Scarlett recently completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano at Louisiana State University, where she studied with Dr. Jeong-Eun Lee, Prof. Christopher Turbessi, and Dr. Ana María Otamendi. Her final research project focused on how women composers convey themes of night, dreams, and mythology in their works. She discussed her findings and performed these works in a lecture recital and written document. She pursued her doctorate under full scholarship and a graduate assistantship, through which she gained extensive experience teaching group piano courses to undergraduate music majors and collaborating with both vocalists and instrumentalists. During her time at LSU, she also performed with the LSU Wind Ensemble in Fall 2024 and served as rehearsal and workshop pianist for The Devil's Dream in Spring 2025. In May of 2023, Scarlett also earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from Louisiana State University, studying under Dr. Willis Delony. In May of 2021, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance from Nicholls State University while studying under Dr. Luciana Soares.

As a performer and researcher, Scarlett is passionate about championing solo piano and duo works by underrepresented composers. Her recent recital programs have included music by Amy Beach, Lili Boulanger, Rebecca Clarke, Helen Hopekirk, Florence Price, Clara Schumann, and William Grant Still. Her research interests include incorporating diverse repertoire into group and private piano curricula.

Click here to view Scarlett’s article about diverse repertoire within group piano curricula.

Scarlett was named the 2023 state winner of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Performance Competition. She was also a finalist of the 2023 concerto competition at LSU, performing Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major.

Scarlett has maintained a private piano studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the past five years, teaching students of diverse ages and musical experience levels. Over fifteen of her students have attended piano solo and theory festivals at the Louisiana Federation of Music Clubs (LFMC) festivals and have consistently received Superior ratings.