A native of Virginia Beach, Eliza Willett, has been studying violin since the age of two. Her local teachers included Anne Bugg, Christina Morton, and Yun Zhang. Eliza was a member of the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia for thirteen years and often served as the concertmaster of the Symphony level orchestra. Eliza has performed in masterclasses for teachers including Sergiu Schwartz, Robert McDuffie, Tasmin Little, Janet Sung, and Gary Levinson. She has won many awards including first places in the York River Symphony and Hampton Roads Philharmonic Concerto Competitions, the HEAV Music Competition, Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia Concerto Competition, and Honorable Mentions at the Richmond Symphony and the Bravura Concerto Competitions. Eliza has played under the baton of conductors such as JoAnn Falletta, Thomas Wilkins, Michael Tilson Thomas, Ludovic Morlot, Nicholas McGegan, Lionel Bringuier, and Eric Jacobsen. Beginning in 2021, Eliza became an official substitute violinist for the Virginia Symphony. In 2022, Eliza was selected to be a scholarship recipient of the Florida National Honor Society of Arts and Letters. Eliza has attended summer festivals including Cremona International, Credo at Oberlin, Green Mountain Festival, Bowdoin International, Madeline Island Chamber Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Colorado College Summer Music
Festival, Zodiac Music Festival, and Garth Newel Emerging Artist Fellowship Program. Eliza completed her bachelor’s degree at Lynn Conservatory in 2024, where she studied with Elmar Oliveira and Andrés Cárdenes. Following her bachelor’s degree, Eliza was awarded a fellowship to pursue her master’s degree at the Jacobs School of Music under Mark Kaplan. In 2025, Eliza won a core position with the Virginia Symphony. Eliza plays on a 2011 Feng Jiang passed down to her by her beloved teacher, Yun Zhang.
