Tracy Ensley has taught violin, viola, and piano at Pinner Studios since August, 2011. In addition she is currently adjunct faculty at Bob Jones University and String Instructor at Spartanburg Day School. Mrs. Ensley is a violinist with both the Charleston and Spartanburg symphony orchestras.
She has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions including the Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Scholarship Competition, Union League Civic and Arts Competition, the James Glacking Memorial Music Competition, the Evanston Music Club Scholarship, the Farwell Award of the Musicians Club of Women, the Nancy Fuqua Memorial Musical Arts Competition, and the Chicago/North Shore chapter of the American Guild of Organists competition. She has many years of professional experience as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral member, and accompanist. In 2011 Tracy soloed with three different orchestras, playing the entire Elgar Violin Concerto, the Max Bruch violin and viola Concerto, and Alexander Tchaikovsky’s “Distant Dreams of Childhood.” She has performed as soloist with the Peninsula Music Festival Symphony Orchestra, the Northwestern Symphony Summer Orchestra, the North Suburban Symphony, the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra, the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, and the Lake Forest Symphony. Tracy frequently performs with her sister Kristin Figard. Their first CD, produced by the Holland-American Music Society, was released in 2002. Their second CD, featuring the Figard Quintet and saxophonist Frederick Hemke performing music by George Gershwin, was released in 2010. Their third CD was released in May of 2013 and is titled Echoes of Mercy and includes sacred selections for violin, viola, piano, and guitar.
Tracy graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance and Historic Keyboard and a Master’s degree in Viola Performance. During her time at Northwestern Tracy held positions as concertmaster in both the Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra and the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra. She studied violin and viola with Roland and Almita Vamos, and organ with Margaret Kemper. She currently resides in Greenville, SC with her husband, Joseph, a classical guitarist, with whom she loves to collaborate! Visit their website, Frets and Bows, for more information.