Eleanor Bartsch

Praised for her “clarion tone and technical aplomb” (Chicago Classical Review), Eleanor Bartsch joined the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra’s first violin section in 2024. Bartsch is also first violinist of the Chicago-based Kontras Quartet with whom she has toured the US and Europe and released two albums. She makes frequent appearances with Kontras on classical WFMT Chicago 98.7.

Prior to her appointment at Lyric, Bartsch was concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony and associate concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony. She is a frequent guest and soloist with orchestras, chamber ensembles, series and festivals nationwide.

A passionate educator and ambassador of music, Bartsch is Professor of Violin and Head of Strings at Elmhurst University. She has additionally 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.

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 did her schooling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow studying violin performance with David Perry as well as business entrepreneurship. She returns to Madison each summer as co-founder and violinist of the Willy Street Chamber Players.