Upon return to Sydney from the United States in the early 1990s, Ellis made the finals of the inaugural ABC Young Conductors Mastercourse (1994) and was invited to conduct
Cesar Franck’s Symphonic Variations with the
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart, marking his professional conducting debut (1995). He became assistant conductor to
Brian Stacey in the Sydney and Melbourne production of
The Secret Garden (musical), starring
Anthony Warlow and
Marina Prior, for the Gordon Frost Organisation (1996). Ellis conducted
This Is the Moment performed by
Hugh Jackman with orchestral and choral accompaniment for the
NRL Grand Final pre-match entertainment at Sydney Olympic Stadium. (1999). He was to conduct at the same occasion with
Kelly Clarkson in 2011 and
OneRepublic in 2019. In 1999, Ellis auditioned for the Sydney Organising Committee for the
Olympic Games to conduct for the
Sydney Olympic Games. Musical director of SOCOG,
Max Lambert, appointed Ellis to conduct the
Olympic Hymn with the
Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Millennium Choir for the opening ceremony and the Australian and Greek National Anthems at the closing ceremony (2000). He was also the musical director of the Millennium Ensemble at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. In 2001, conductor
Simone Young appointed Ellis to be her assistant conductor for
Opera Australia's production of
La traviata at the
Sydney Opera House. He was subsequently appointed associate conductor alongside
Guy Noble for the Sydney and Melbourne production of
Man of La Mancha, starring
Anthony Warlow and
Caroline O'Connor, for the Gordon Frost Organisation (2002). Ellis returned to the olympics in 2025, as Musical Director and Conductor for the concert for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Sydney Olympic Games at Accor Stadium. Ellis was the musical director of the Australia Day concerts held by the
Premier of NSW at the Sydney International Convention and Exhibition Centre – arranging for and conducting artists including
Alex Lloyd,
David Campbell,
Gang Gajang,
Simon Burke,
Deborah Conway,
Clare Bowditch,
Casey Donovan and
Sneaky Sound System (2002 to 2012). He conducted orchestral and choral groups for the
ARIA Awards at
Qudos Bank Arena for the artists
Amiel Daemion and
Art vs. Science (2005, 2011). In 2006, he conducted an orchestral performance of "
The Prayer" sung by
Anthony Callea for the Australian visit by
Queen Elizabeth II for the
Commonwealth Games. In 2007, Ellis was musical director of the Belvoir Street production of
The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie – the concert celebrating
The Church's 30th anniversary celebration concert at the Sydney Opera House. Ellis was invited to conduct the Magic of Disney orchestral concert for the Verge Arts Festival in the Great Hall,
Sydney University, in 2012. He was the musical director of the orchestral and choral performances for The Lights of Christmas with images screened on the façade of
St Mary's Cathedral and composed a new piece,
The Light, for the occasion (2014–2016). In 2013, Ellis conducted the world premiere of the Australian opera Somewhere Between the Sun and the Sky by Sophie Spargo and in 2014, he conducted performances of the American opera Little Women by Marc Adamo – both at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He has been the musical director of the Greek Festival of Sydney orchestral and choral concerts featuring international soloists
Dimitris Basis and Vasilis Lekkas at
City Recital Hall, Sydney (2015–2019). In 2019, the festival toured nationally including Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Darwin.
ABBA and the
Bee Gees (2017–2019), with audiences of over 15,000 at each concert. He performed in the orchestra he put together for the
Hans Zimmer Australian national tour Hans Zimmer Revealed (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth) (2017). In 2018, he was musical director of
Caroline O'Connor ’s From Broadway With Love concert at
City Recital Hall, Sydney. Subsequently, in 2018, he conducted the Disco Spectacular orchestral concert at the Sydney Opera House featuring international vocalists
Norma Jean Wright (of Chic),
Cynthia Johnson,
Kym Mazelle,
Ultra Nate and
Denise Pearson. Ellis was appointed chief conductor of the Australian Session Orchestra (2019). He was appointed orchestral musical director of the Hooked on Classics concerts at the Sydney Opera House, Hamer Hall in Melbourne and Newcastle Civic Theatre (2019). He also conducted the orchestral Love Will Steer the Stars concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the music of 1969 and A Tribute to George Michael (2019.) In 2020 he put together the orchestral performance of Sydney Rococo by Steve Kilbey, of rock band
The Church, at
City Recital Hall for the
Sydney Festival. Since 2020, the George Ellis Orchestra has performed around Australia for Metropolis Touring - presenting the orchestrated music of
Queen,
David Bowie,
Fleetwood Mac,
Elton John,
George Michael,
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons,
The Beatles and
Metallica in venues including the State Theatre in Sydney, Palais Theatre in Melbourne and Adelaide Festival Theatre. In 2021, George Ellis arranged the music and was Musical Director of the NRL Grand Final entertainment at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – where he worked with
Ian Moss, from
Cold Chisel, and
Kate Miller-Heidke. In 2022, he conducted Australian singer/songwriter
Lior in a concert with the
Canberra Symphony Orchestra featuring his latest compositions. He was also invited to be the guest conductor for the
City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong where he conducted two concert series – The Fluteman Show and Chill Music – Orchestral Music from Iceland. He also conducted a live orchestral performance of
Fantasia to the vision of the famous Disney film – including works like The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. He also conducted the world premiere of ‘Force Majeur’ – concerto for Piano and Orchestra by highly esteemed composer
Elena Kats-Chernin. In 2023, he conducted the great
Kate Ceberano in concert with the George Ellis Orchestra. He continued to tour around Australia conducting orchestral concerts of music by
Pink Floyd and
Hans Zimmer. He went on a national tour with The Best of the Bee Gees band to perform the music of the
Bee Gees – including Colin ‘Smiley’ Peterson – the original drummer of the Bee Gees. And was invited back by the City of Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong to conduct a return season of the previous year’s programs. In 2024, he premiered an orchestral concert at the
Tamworth Country Music Festival – conducting the George Ellis Orchestra for artists including
Troy Cassar-Daley,
Fanny Lumsden and
Amber Lawrence. He went on a national tour conducting the symphonies of American current classical composer
Philip Glass – Heroes and Low. He also conducted Axion Esti, the monumental oratorio for large choir, orchestra, vocal soloists and popular music instruments by Greece’s great composer
Mikis Theodorakis. He also conducted the Australian premiere of The Carnival of the Dinosaurs, by Australian-born Thomas Woods, who is Music Director of the Regensburg Opera Theatre in Germany. And he conducted the orchestra for Newcastle’s popular Star Struck program – for a rigorous program of four concerts in two days. In 2025, he has so-far guest-conducted the
Canberra Symphony Orchestra for a disco-themed concert for the orchestra’s program called Music By the River, featuring international vocalist from New York,
Mig Ayesa. He will also conduct his piece Mimi’s Symphony for a week of concerts at the
Sydney Opera House with his collaborator
Justine Clarke narrating the much-loved orchestral story. They will also present this piece at the Canberra Theatre later in the year. He also has conducting work at the
Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he will work with the New Music Ensemble. He travelled to New Zealand to conduct performances with The Best of the Bee Gees in Auckland and Wellington. Also, he conducted the New Music Orchestra at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for a concert of original music by Sydney Conservatorium resident composers, and conducted the orchestra for the Star Struck concert series in Newcastle. In 2026, he has so far Conducted ‘Orchestral Country’ concert at the
Tamworth Country Music Festival; conducted ‘The Music of Queen Orchestrated’ with the
Canberra Symphony Orchestra; and conducted the ‘Best of the Bee Gees Orchestrated’ with the
Manila Symphony Orchestra in The Philippines. ==Composition and screen==