Ella Zirina

“Rising Star” (NRC) Ella Zirina (1997) is a Amsterdam-based jazz guitarist, composer, and bandleader with a passion for the different textures and timbres of her instrument. Her compositions are build out of melodic improvisations, resulting in a personal and emotional sonic environment.

After studying piano until the age of 17, Ella switched to guitar studies, channeling her broad musical influences. From Alexander Scriabin to Joni Mitchell and from Led Zeppelin to Bill Evans, Jim Hall and Wes Montgomery. Determined and passionate, she left Latvia and pursued studies in Jazz guitar in Amsterdam.

In 2021 (B.A.) and 2023 (M.A.), Ella graduated with the highest honors at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, having studied with Jesse van Ruller, Reinier Baas, Maarten van der Grinten and Martijn van Iterson among others. She swiftly transitioned from student to mentor, now imparting her expertise as a guitar instructor in the jazz department at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. She has also given workshops in other conservatories, like Jazz Campus in Basel, Escuela Superior de Música de Cataluña in Barcelona and others.

Ella is the bandleader of her trio, with whom she has performed across Europe in venues and festivals like BIMHUIS, North Sea Jazz Festival 2024, Oslo Jazz Festival, Riga Ritmi Jazz Festival, Bird’s Eye Jazz Club and many more. She has worked and performed together with many talented musicians, such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joey Baron (by performing at North Sea Jazz Festival 2023),Tineke Postma, Ben van Gelder, Jamie Peet, Jesse van Ruller, Reinier Baas, Pablo Held, Yuri Honing and many more. She has performed as a soloist with Jazz Orchestra of The Concertgebouw, played in NJJO and Jong Metropole. During masterclasses, she has shared the stage with John Scofield, Peter Bernstein, Kurt Rosenwinkel.

From the end of 2021 till the beginning of 2023, she was in residency at BIMHUIS for ‘New Makers’ talent development project. Within this project she recorded her (Edison Jazz Award nominated) debut studio album with her trio - Intertwined - which features her work for a string quartet and Dutch saxophonist Tineke Postma on a few tunes. She released her second studio album and a solo guitar album Unraveler in December 2023 with DOX Records. Her most recent studio album ‘Boundless Blue, Sunset Hue’ (DOX Records, October 2024) features her trio and guest artists like saxophonist Otis Sandsjö (Sweden) and pianist Chaerin Im (South Korea), along with an occasional string quartet arrangement.