Haylie Ecker (born 9 October 1975) is a founding member and the former first violinist of the multi-platinum selling classical crossover string quartet bond. She left bond in 2008 to become a mother. She plays a 1751 J.B. Guadagnini.
Ecker, from Perth, Western Australia, was educated at the all-girls' Penrhos College. She received a First Class Honours Degree in Music and a Postgraduate Degree in Advanced Solo Studies from London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She continues her classical violin career in addition to playing with bond and other musicians.
Ecker worked with Magnus Fiennes on the $10 million animated cartoon series Freefonix in which she plays the character Syun, who has the superpower to manipulate time via extraordinary violin skills. Ecker is a featured artist on Zucchero's album "Zucchero & Co" on the track Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime, (Parlophone). Ecker also presents for Classical Destinations Education Series 1, released internationally in 2007.
Ecker debated against British Cultural commentator Norman Lebrecht on BBC Breakfast, which led to further invitations to debate current music issues on British media, including The Mozart Effect on LebrechtLive for BBC3 Radio and a discussion on The Music Manifesto and music education with Julian Lloyd Webber on BBC2 TV's Lunchtime Show. Ecker toured with and recorded on Oi Va Voi's latest album in 2009.
Ecker left bond in 2008 to give a birth for her first child, a son named Ari. She had her second child, Uma Sky, in 2010.
In 2010, she starred in Edward Terakopian's mini-film Homage.
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama's Maurice Warshaw Prize for interpretation of Chausson's Poeme for Violin and Piano.
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama's Ivan Sutton Prize for Chamber music.
- Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year.
- Royal Overseas League chamber music prize as Orlando Piano Trio (a trio with Stephen Depledge (piano) and Alexander Somov (cello)).