Eli, 17, has been playing violin for twelve years, and he used to play piano. Eli is motivated by his musical family members, with his grandfather and brother playing the violin. He was a member of the Blue Lake Camerata and Festival Orchestra, Holland Symphony Youth Orchestra and is the Principle Violinist of the West Ottawa Chamber Orchestra. He’s also a member of the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, and recently started another quartet with the West Ottawa High School Orchestra. He was the winner of the 2024 Norbert Mueller Classical Music Competition as well as the 2025 Skip Gates Concerto Competition

When asked what his favorite part about playing music is, Eli’s passion resides in the “storytelling you can do. You can raise so many things out of your strength. It’s about making people feel something without words.”

Eli wants to continue his craft in the future; he plans to go to college and continue to play and perform violin.