Baritone Elem Eley is Professor of Voice at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, joining the faculty in 1987 after previous teaching positions in Texas and Georgia. He was Associate Instructor of Voice at Indiana University, while completing coursework for the D.Mus. degree; he studied singing there with Margaret Harshaw, and performed extensively in the IU Opera Theater. Professor Eley studied singing at Southwestern Baptist Seminary with Jack Coldiron and voice pedagogy with James McKinney; he has attended numerous master classes by major artists, among them Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hermann Prey. He sings frequent song recitals, with prominent pianists such as Dalton Baldwin and J.J. Penna. His most recent study leave in Vienna featured coachings with both Walter Moore and Robert Holl. Current and former students of Elem Eley sing with major opera companies and in significant concert venues.

In addition to passionately carrying out his teaching responsibilities at Rider, Mr. Eley enjoys a remarkably varied career, from opera, oratorio and recital to premières of contemporary vocal music. His four latest CDs were released in 2008-2009, two of them on Albany Records - a solo album, Drifts and Shadows: American Song for the New Millennium (J.J. Penna, pianist), and a featured group of Three Antarctica Songs by Laurie Altman on Mr. Altman's new CD, entitled On Course. In the American Record Guide (Jan/Feb 2009), critic Stephen Estep reviewed Drifts and Shadows, stating, "Eley's voice is warm and clean. He is definitely one of the best singers of English I've ever heard...Buy this record." Fanfare opines, "This is a miraculous compilation of gems...a Want List candidate." Mr. Eley is cast in the première recording of the Hagen/Muldoon opera, Shining Brow, released in 2009 by Naxos. Additionally, he is featured on a recording of Steven Sametz's Dulcis Amor, with the Princeton Singers and tenor John Aler, recently released by Arsis Recordings.

The current season (2009-2010) features a return to Avery Fisher Hall as soloist in Messiah with the Peniel Concert Choir, Carmina Burana with the Springfield (MO) Symphony, recitals at Berry College and Westminster Choir College of Rider University, and a performance on the Joy in Singing Anniversary Gala at Merkin Concert Hall.  In 2008 and 2009, Mr. Eley returned to Lincoln Center with Musica Sacra (Kent Tritle conducting) for Carmina Burana and the world première of Alessandro Cadario’s Cantata for Revival, to the Springfield (MO) Symphony for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and to the Oratorio Singers of Westfield for Bach’s Mass in b. Bach was further represented by Christus in the St. John Passion (Princeton Pro Musica), and he sang performances of Handel’s Israel in Egypt at Lehigh University. 2008 recitals included Masters of Modern American Art Song II at Symphony Space in New York City, and a French recital in Princeton.

Other notable engagements included a debut with Musica Sacra (the late Richard Westenburg conducting) as soloist in Bach's Cantata No. 82, a series of performances led by another legendary choral maestro - Robert Page - singing Carmina Burana, the world premiere of Vera of Las Vegas by Daron Hagen and Paul Muldoon; and appearances with the Symphony Orchestras of Charlotte, Kansas City, New Jersey, Sioux City and Springfield, the Orchestra of St. Luke's at Carnegie Hall, The Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center and the Calvin Oratorio Society. Mr. Eley sang the title role of Don Giovanni for his debut at the Operafestival di Roma and has appeared in productions with the Opera Companies of Cincinnati, Hawaii, Shreveport and Syracuse, Athena Grand Opera, the Sylvan Opera Festival, the Center for Contemporary Opera and Musica Europa 2001.

With degrees in voice from Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the native Georgian pursued doctoral study at Indiana University, studying with Margaret Harshaw. His New York recital début was as winner of the 1996 Joy in Singing Award.