Praised for her “clarion tone and technical aplomb” (Chicago Classical Review), violinist Eleanor Bartsch enjoys a dynamic career as a chamber musician, orchestral musician, concertmaster, soloist, educator and entrepreneur. Bartsch was appointed to the first violin section of the Chicago Lyric Opera orchestra in 2024. She is additionally first violinist of the Kontras Quartet, with whom she has toured the US and Europe, appeared as a regular guest on 98.7 Chicago Classical WFMT radio, released two studio albums and held residencies at many US higher learning institutions. Bartsch is Professor of Violin and Head of Strings at Elmhurst University.

The Kontras Quartet is a beloved Chicago-based ensemble known for its vibrant and nuanced performances, accessible audience relations and diverse repertoire spanning centuries, genres and continents. In addition to a robust national and international touring schedule, Kontras enjoys exploring genre-bending collaborations including a unique and ongoing partnership with the folk/bluegrass ensemble, the Kruger Brothers. The Kontras-Kruger pairing regularly tours together and has championed and recorded a wide array of classical/bluegrass crossover chamber works.

Bartsch has appeared as a soloist with many regional midwest orchestras including the Chicago Philharmonic, Elgin Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and many others. Solo/concerto highlights in recent seasons (2022-2026) include performances of Bruch's “Scottish Fantasy," Piazzolla's “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” violin concerti of Samuel Barber and Gerald Finzi and the world premiere of “Nightingales” by Laura Schwendinger.

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. Willy Street’s “Community Connect” initiative brings free high-quality concerts to hundreds of community members and young summer camp attendees each year. She is a frequent guest at chamber series and festivals nationwide.

A sought-after orchestral performer and leader, previous to her appointment at the Chicago Lyric, Bartsch was Concertmaster of the Dubuque Symphony and Associate Concertmaster of the Elgin Symphony. She has additionally led the Chicago Philharmonic (where she also served on the board of directors from 2022-2025) , Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater Orchestra, and many others. She has appeared as a regular guest in the violin section of many of the nation’s premiere orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, Music of the Baroque and the Knights. Bartsch was a tenured member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra for eight seasons and five seasons, respectively.

A passionate music educator and advocate, Bartsch was appointed Professor of Violin and Head of Strings at Elmhurst University in 2023. Previously, she was an artist in residence and chamber music coach at Western Michigan University. She has given masterclasses and clinics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Chicago (school of music and Booth School of Business), University of California-San Diego, University of Oregon School of Music and Dance and Western Michigan University. Over the years, she has taught and mentored hundreds of music learners of all ages through private lessons, orchestral and chamber coaching, pre-concert lectures and involvement 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 received her master’s degree in violin performance with a certificate in business entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music 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 was a recipient of the Kato Perlman chamber music fellowship and spent three summers at the Aspen Music Festival studying with Paul Kantor. Her previous teachers are Ellen Kim and Young-Nam Kim.

Bartsch plays a fine violin by Giuseppe Gagliano, Naples, Italy, 1775.