Steven Wilke is a dual-degree graduate of Northwestern University.
Violinist Steven Wilke is a newly appointed member of both the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Quad City Symphony Orchestra. Steven graduated in the spring of 2024 from Northwestern University, receiving a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance alongside a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Spanish. During his studies, he served as concertmaster of the Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, played viola in Northwestern’s Chamber Music program, and was awarded the Presser Scholar award by the Bienen School of Music for musical and academic accomplishments. He has attended the Meadowmount School of Music and the Northwestern Summer Violin Institute. His senior undergraduate economics thesis, “Music Conservatories and Universities” was an analysis of the educational background of professional orchestra musicians and the earnings of music graduates. While at Northwestern, Steven was also the leader of several student organizations, including Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations and the Northwestern Economics Tournament.
Steven began violin lessons in the Suzuki method at age five with Marcia Edwards in North Carolina. He moved to Madison at age eight and is grateful to have been inspired by insightful teachers and mentors Blair Milton, I-Hao Lee, Eugene Purdue, Heidi Kenney, and Suzanne Beia. Steven was an active member of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras for over seven years, serving as concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra and interning in the WYSO office during his senior year at Madison West High School. Outside of music, Steven works as an Analyst at Huron Consulting Group in their Higher Education Research Services division and enjoys running, cooking, and baking delicious treats!
