Claire Eltoft

Claire Eltoft is a senior at Lafayette High School, and this is her third year in the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. She has been playing the flute since 2020 and currently studies with Jalene Huang. 

Eltoft has participated in the St. Louis All-Suburban Honor Band every year since 2022, earning first chair in both the middle school and high school honor band divisions. She has also placed as 2nd Honorable Mention (2024) and alternate (2026) for the Missouri All-State Honor Band. 

In addition to playing in the Community Music School of Webster University’s Preparatory Program for chamber music, Eltoft has placed 1st (2024) and 2nd (2023) in the annual Mike Russo Concerto Competition of the Saint Charles County Youth Orchestra, getting the opportunity to perform Hüe’s Fantaisie with the Symphony Orchestra. She was also runner-up for Lafayette’s biennial concerto competition in 2026. 

Eltoft would like to thank all of her former and present instructors: her middle school band director John Menner, her high school band directors Brad Balog and Andrew Reader, and her flute teacher Jalene Huang. Additionally, she would like to thank her family and friends for their continuous support.