[4] With support from her teacher and parents, she pursued voice at the University of Ottawa under the tutelage of Ingemar Korjus.

Her musical mentor and vocal coach is Laurent Philippe,[3][7] with whom she regularly appears in recital.

During the summer of 2010, El-Khoury was engaged by Lorin Maazel and the Castleton Festival to sing Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi and to cover[8] the title role in Suor Angelica.

On opening night, she was asked to step in to sing Suor Angelica; this marked the beginning of Maazel's mentorship.

She went on to perform Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville in Beijing, Mimì in Puccini's La bohème, the soprano part of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in Munich and her first Desdemona in Verdi's Otello with Maazel.