Eden Stargardt is a Chicago-based horn player, chamber musician and educator. As a returning member and Fellow of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago in the 2026/27 Season, Eden is looking forward to participating in fellowship projects and performing new repertoire with her colleagues.
Eden completed a Master of Music degree at Northwestern University in 2025, where she was a graduate assistant for the horn studio. She graduated with honors from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences with a BM in Horn Performance and a BA in German in 2023. Her senior thesis “The Lasting Legacy of a Divided City: The Berlin Orchestras as a Microcosm for Germany during the Wendezeit” received department honors and was published in the Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal. In her time at Northwestern, her primary teachers included Gail Williams and Jon Boen.
Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eden has regularly been a guest musician with the Grand Rapids Symphony. She has also appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and as a member of The Heritage Orchestra with Rosalía. In her free time, Eden enjoys walking along the lake with her dog, exploring different neighborhoods and coffee shops in Chicago and tending to her plants.
What are you most looking forward to this season?
I am looking forward to engaging with members of the community in Chicago through meaningful projects and collaborations. I am especially excited to continue my independent project and to work with the other fellows on our projects for the year!
