San Francisco  Academy Orchestra

Timothy (Eli) Willis is a classically trained violinist with a Master of Music in Violin Performance from Boston University as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. A passionate and accomplished performer, Eli has held leadership positions such as Concertmaster of the Boston University Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and Concertmaster of the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with ensembles including the Southwest Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Stockton and Sacramento Symphonies. Eli is also a prolific performer in weddings, recordings, and concerts, including with International artists such as Zuill Bailey, Anna Fedorova, and In-Mo Yang. His musical journey has taken him on international tours with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra three separate times, to regional as well as national competitions, and to the finals of the 2025 Claude Debussy Competition Paris and the 2024 International Artists Competition Vienna. Eli studied under distinguished mentors such as Peter Zazofsky, Kevork Mardirossian, and Lynn Chang, and has performed in masterclasses with leading artists including Guillermo Figueroa and Ann Setzer. He is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma through the San Francisco Academy Orchestra, studying with both Wyatt Underhill and Polina Sedukh.