Eleanor Bartsch
Co-Founder
www.eleanorbartsch.com
Praised for her “clarion tone and technical aplomb” (Chicago Classical Review), Eleanor Bartsch was appointed to the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra’s first violin section in 2024 by Maestro Enrique Mazzola. Bartsch is also first violinist of the Chicago-based Kontras Quartet, with whom she has toured the US and Europe, recorded two albums, made frequent appearances live on classical WFMT Chicago 98.7 and held residencies at multiple US higher learning institutions. She is additionally Professor of Violin and Head of Strings at Elmhurst University and a performing member and frequent principal player of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, where she also serves on the board of directors.
Bartsch co-founded Madison, Wisconsin’s Willy Street Chamber Players, an award-winning ensemble and summer festival with an emphasis on creating community through classical music. A passionate educator and ambassador of music, she has taught hundreds of music learners of all ages as a private instructor, chamber and orchestral coach, masterclass clinician, pre-concert lecturer and through participation in many meaningful community engagement initiatives.
Additional chamber music projects include appearances with Eighth Blackbird, the Spektral Quartet, the Pro Arte Quartet, Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Chamber Music on the Fox, Midsummers Music in Door County, WI, and curating concerts for Chicago Phil Chamber and Elgin Symphony Chamber Players. Equally committed to contemporary and time-honored works, Bartsch continues to expand the repertoire through participation and facilitation of numerous world premieres and creative concert curation.
A sought-after orchestral player and leader, prior to her appointment at the Lyric, Bartsch was Concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony from 2016-2023 and Associate Concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony since 2015. She has additionally led the Chicago Philharmonic, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater Orchestra and many others. She has appeared as a regular guest with the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, Music of the Baroque and the Knights. She has performed as a soloist with many regional Midwest orchestras including the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Dubuque Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic and others.
Born into a family of professional musicians and music educators, Bartsch began violin lessons at the age of 4 in her hometown of St. Paul, MN. She received her master’s degrees in violin performance with a graduate certificate in business entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying violin with David Perry as a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow. Bartsch also received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison with Perry. During that time, she spent summers studying with Paul Kantor at the Aspen Music Festival and won tenured positions with the Madison Symphony and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Her previous teachers were Ellen Kim and Young-Nam Kim.
Bartsch co-founded Madison, Wisconsin’s Willy Street Chamber Players, an award-winning ensemble and summer festival with an emphasis on creating community through classical music. A passionate educator and ambassador of music, she has taught hundreds of music learners of all ages as a private instructor, chamber and orchestral coach, masterclass clinician, pre-concert lecturer and through participation in many meaningful community engagement initiatives.
Additional chamber music projects include appearances with Eighth Blackbird, the Spektral Quartet, the Pro Arte Quartet, Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Chamber Music on the Fox, Midsummers Music in Door County, WI, and curating concerts for Chicago Phil Chamber and Elgin Symphony Chamber Players. Equally committed to contemporary and time-honored works, Bartsch continues to expand the repertoire through participation and facilitation of numerous world premieres and creative concert curation.
A sought-after orchestral player and leader, prior to her appointment at the Lyric, Bartsch was Concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony from 2016-2023 and Associate Concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony since 2015. She has additionally led the Chicago Philharmonic, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater Orchestra and many others. She has appeared as a regular guest with the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, Music of the Baroque and the Knights. She has performed as a soloist with many regional Midwest orchestras including the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Dubuque Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic and others.
Born into a family of professional musicians and music educators, Bartsch began violin lessons at the age of 4 in her hometown of St. Paul, MN. She received her master’s degrees in violin performance with a graduate certificate in business entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying violin with David Perry as a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow. Bartsch also received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison with Perry. During that time, she spent summers studying with Paul Kantor at the Aspen Music Festival and won tenured positions with the Madison Symphony and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Her previous teachers were Ellen Kim and Young-Nam Kim.