Eleanor Kirk is an experienced orchestral, chamber, and solo musician from Evanston, Illinois. She served as guest principal harp with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra for the 2022-2023 season and holds the position of Principal Harpist with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. Eleanor served as the Principal Harpist with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2018-2022 and frequently performs as a guest with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. Season highlights from the past year include solo appearances on the Rush Hour, Musicians Club of Women Artists in Recital, and Dame Myra Hess concert series. Eleanor performed as a concerto soloist with the Bach Week Festival Orchestra and the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in their 2021 seasons.

With degrees from Columbia University and Chicago College of Performing Arts, Eleanor is a dedicated educator, serving as harp faculty at the Peoples Music School and the Young Artist’s Harp Seminar. Her students have received top honors at the Greater Chicago Chapter of the American Harp Society Competition, the Illinois American String Teachers Association Concerto Competition, and the Midwest Harp Festival Competition.

Eleanor is a founding member of 5th Wave Collective, a Chicago-based classical music ensemble dedicated to the performance and promotion of music by womxn, where she works as development director.