V
iolin is considered by many to be among the rector. Kitterman raves about Ellis, who was such a talented viomost difficult instruments to master. It can linist that he advanced to the orchestra’s first chair and became a take years of dedicated practice to perfect the leader among his peers. numerous techniques required to progress to “During his senior year, Ellis was my concertmaster, I suppose the type of accomplished violinist who has the equivalent of a team captain, but it is really so much more,” the ability to play in an orchestra. Kitterman said. “In addition to occupying the first chair and havIn the sport of gymnastics, pommel ing all the solos written for violin, he would communicate directly horse is considered one of the most difficult with the conductor and back to the orchestra.” events. The gymnast must perform skills with a circular movement Still, it wasn’t until he had been a member of the orchestra for in a horizontal plane, often balancing on one arm and needing several years that Kitterman realized her star violinist was equally both brute strength and quick, precise placement of the hands in as talented as a gymnast. order to stay on the horse for the full routine. “I always knew that Ellis was a gymnast, but it wasn't until midUniversity of Minnesota sophomore gymnast Ellis Mannon high school that I looked him up on YouTube and was astounded is accomplished at both disciplines, but very few students he attends classes PHOTO: CHRIS MITCHELL with in Minneapolis would have any idea the double major in chemical engineering and economics is also a concert violinist. “I do have my violin with me in Minnesota, and I frequently play it in my apartment, but most people here know me more as a gymnast because athletes get all the apparel, and I’m wearing that stuff all the time,” he said. “So, they know I’m a gymnast, but it usually takes a little while for them to get to know me before they realize I play the violin, as well.” Mannon grew up in Indianapolis, where he attended North Central High School. Most of his friends there were well aware of his musical talents, and less so of his abilities inside the gym. “I had a lot of musical friends in high school, but gymnastics is no longer a sport at the high school level in Indiana, where it’s exclusively club teams,” he said. “So, as far as being a gymnast, I was a little bit of an oddity to my friends. They didn’t really understand gymnas- “Every so often, you run into a kid like Ellis, who tics, but they appreciated it for what it seems to excel at whatever he does. Most kids is -- a difficult sport.” Ellis’s father, James, was the first to would shudder at the idea of doing a double major develop his son’s interest in learning to in chemical engineering and economics, being a varplay the violin. “My dad’s a pretty musical guy. The sity gymnast, and oh yeah, he’s a concert violinist, choir director at our church was in- too. Are you kidding me?!” – MIKE BURNS volved with the Indianapolis Opera, and my dad sings in the choir for the church and enjoys music,” Ellis said. “I think we were at an Indi- to see what he was accomplishing in a venue as different from what anapolis Symphony Orchestra concert, and I decided I liked vio- I was accustomed to seeing him as could possibly be,” Kitterman lin, so he signed me up for lessons.” remarked. “Still, that same strength that I witnessed in his playing, Those first lessons took place when he was six years old. It that same drive and focus was equally evident whether as an athbegan with private lessons in the music studios of his childhood lete, a scholar or a musician. As he continued to develop into a nachurch, and he recalls going to a music camp in Quebec when he tionally-ranked gymnast, his commitment to the orchestra never was 12 or 13 years old. When he was in fifth grade, he auditioned wavered.” for and was invited to join the New World Youth Orchestra For Ellis, the introduction to gymnastics came a few years after (NWYO) in Indianapolis. beginning his violin lessons. Mannon was a member of NWYO’s top orchestra for seven “I started gymnastics when I was nine, so I think I was in third years after being accepted as a sixth grader, a very rare feat accord- grade. My mom had been a gymnast in high school and was kind ing to Susan R. Kitterman, New World’s founder and artistic di- of a multi-sport athlete,” he said. “But it was my mom’s sister, my
PHOTO: ERIC MILLER