Eleanor Bartsch
Co-Founder
www.eleanorbartsch.com
Hailed for her “clarion tone and technical aplomb” (Chicago Classical Review), Chicago-based violinist Eleanor Bartsch enjoys a diverse and vibrant career as a chamber musician, orchestral musician, Concertmaster, soloist, educator, concert curator, and entrepreneur. In 2018, she was appointed first violinist of the critically acclaimed Kontras Quartet. She is additionally Associate Concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and a performing member and frequent principal player of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra where she also serves on the board of directors. Bartsch is professor of violin and head of strings at Elmhurst University and appears regularly with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Joffery Ballet.
In addition to national and international appearances and tours, the Kontras Quartet remains dedicated to the vibrant Chicago music scene, appearing as regular guests on 98.7 Classical WFMT radio and on all local chamber music series. The group served as Artists in Residence at Western Michigan University from 2018-2020 and Art of Elan in San Diego, CA from 2018-2022.
Kontras also enjoys a unique and ongoing collaboration with the bluegrass ensemble, the Kruger Brothers, and has championed a wide array of classical/bluegrass crossover chamber works. Fall 2023 will see therelease of the Kontras/Kruger pairing’s next album collaboration, "The Moonshine Sonata" on Double Time Records and a European tour.
Additional chamber projects for Bartsch include appearances with Eighth Blackbird, the Spektral Quartet, the Pro Arte Quartet, and many others. 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, in 2015.
As a soloist Bartsch has concertized with the Chicago Philharmonic (Bach Concerto for Two Violins with the Miami City Ballet, 2019), the Elgin Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, the Minnesota Sinfonia, and others. Solo highlights of the 2022-2023 season include Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy” with the Middleton Community Orchestra and the world premiere of Laura Schwendinger’s “Nightingales” for two violins and orchestra in consortium with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra.
A sought-after orchestral performer and leader, Bartsch was Concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony from 2016-2023. She has served as Concertmaster of the Chicago Philharmonic, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater Orchestra, and many others. She has appeared regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, and the Knights. Bartsch was a tenured member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra for 8 seasons and 5 seasons, respectively.
A passionate educator, Bartsch was appointed professor of violin and head of strings at Elmhurst University in 2023. She has given masterclasses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California-San Diego, University of Chicago, Western Michigan University, and others.
Bartsch began her violin studies at the age of 4 in her hometown of St. Paul, MN at the Northern Lights Suzuki School for Strings where she studied with Ellen Kim and went on to study with Young-Nam Kim. She received her master’s degree in violin performance with a certificate in business entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the tutelage of David Perry and Felicia Moye as a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow. Bartsch also received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison, during which she was a recipient of the Kato Perlman chamber music fellowship and spent three summers at the Aspen Music Festival studying with Paul Kantor.
In addition to national and international appearances and tours, the Kontras Quartet remains dedicated to the vibrant Chicago music scene, appearing as regular guests on 98.7 Classical WFMT radio and on all local chamber music series. The group served as Artists in Residence at Western Michigan University from 2018-2020 and Art of Elan in San Diego, CA from 2018-2022.
Kontras also enjoys a unique and ongoing collaboration with the bluegrass ensemble, the Kruger Brothers, and has championed a wide array of classical/bluegrass crossover chamber works. Fall 2023 will see therelease of the Kontras/Kruger pairing’s next album collaboration, "The Moonshine Sonata" on Double Time Records and a European tour.
Additional chamber projects for Bartsch include appearances with Eighth Blackbird, the Spektral Quartet, the Pro Arte Quartet, and many others. 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, in 2015.
As a soloist Bartsch has concertized with the Chicago Philharmonic (Bach Concerto for Two Violins with the Miami City Ballet, 2019), the Elgin Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, the Minnesota Sinfonia, and others. Solo highlights of the 2022-2023 season include Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy” with the Middleton Community Orchestra and the world premiere of Laura Schwendinger’s “Nightingales” for two violins and orchestra in consortium with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra.
A sought-after orchestral performer and leader, Bartsch was Concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony from 2016-2023. She has served as Concertmaster of the Chicago Philharmonic, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater Orchestra, and many others. She has appeared regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, and the Knights. Bartsch was a tenured member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra for 8 seasons and 5 seasons, respectively.
A passionate educator, Bartsch was appointed professor of violin and head of strings at Elmhurst University in 2023. She has given masterclasses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California-San Diego, University of Chicago, Western Michigan University, and others.
Bartsch began her violin studies at the age of 4 in her hometown of St. Paul, MN at the Northern Lights Suzuki School for Strings where she studied with Ellen Kim and went on to study with Young-Nam Kim. She received her master’s degree in violin performance with a certificate in business entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the tutelage of David Perry and Felicia Moye as a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow. Bartsch also received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison, during which she was a recipient of the Kato Perlman chamber music fellowship and spent three summers at the Aspen Music Festival studying with Paul Kantor.