A native of Wauseon, Ohio,
Elizabeth Bert
was born into a musical family. Her father, John Merrill, sister, Mary Nieuwenhuis, brother in law Bruce Nieuwenhuis, and daughter, Deanna Erwin, are all professional musicians. She began piano studies at age 7, and cello studies at age 10 under the tutelage of famed string educator Elizabeth Green. She has also studied cello with Louis Potter, Peter Howard and Paul Katz. She attended Michigan State University as a cello performance major, and subsequently transferred to the University of Toledo to finish her Bachelors of Education in Instrumental Music Education, and her Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling. She retired after 25 years as a guidance counselor with the Interlochen Arts Academy, but continued in education for the next 8 years with the Traverse City Public Schools as an elementary and middle school string teacher.
Currently Ms. Bert is Principal Cello with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, serving in that position for 40 years. She also serves as Principal Cello with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, and is a member of the cello section with the Baroque on Beaver Festival Orchestra. She also performs regularly with the Marquette and the Sault Saint Marie Symphony Orchestras.
She is also the cellist with the Cummings Quartet and is a cello instructor for the Gerber String program.

She has also performed with the Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra, in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. In addition she has played with the Northwood and Midland Symphony Orchestras, as well as 15 years with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra as well as currently performing regularly in the Northern Michigan area.