After starring in the 1925 "The Pirates of Penzance" production, Ethel Codd received a full, three-year scholarship to attend the Eastman School Of Music from Vladimir Rosing, who was at that time the director and producer of the Rochester American Opera Company. During her time at Eastman, Ethel met Otto Luening, and they got married on 19 Apr 1927.

In 1928, Ethel Luening graduated from Eastman and began touring with solo recitals and operas throughout the USA, Canada, and Germany. She performed extensively for over 12 years, appearing on stage at many prestigious venues, including Eastman School Of Music and Eastman School Of Music. Ethel sang with many notable musicians, such as harpsichordists Ralph Kirkpatrick and Ernst Victor Wolff, composer and pianist Aaron Copland, composer Henry Brant, and her husband Otto Luening. She accompanied Harry Partch at his Carnegie Hall debut in April 1944, in a concert entitled: "A Program of Compositions On Americana Texts." As a leading soprano, Ethel performed many Mozart operas under the baton of Sir Eugene Goossens, Guy Fraser Harrison, and Otto Luening.

From 1934 to 1944, Ethel Luening taught voice on the faculty of Bennington College, where she became head of the voice department.