They’re sisters. They’re violinists. And they’re Badgers.

This Friday at 7:30 p.m., University of Wisconsin students Alice and Eleanor Bartsch will play a concert at Overture Hall with Madison Symphony Orchestra organist Samuel Hutchison. Eleanor, 24, is a first year master’s student at the UW School of Music and a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellow. Alice is a senior pursuing her Bachelor of Music degree in performance. The concert will feature pieces such as J.S. Bach’s “Concerto for Two Violins” and Antonio Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Two Violins” in D minor.

Both Alice and Eleanor have been playing the violin since they were in preschool — Alice began at 3, Eleanor at 4. Alice said she enjoys the freedom of making her own decisions after years of playing with large groups or with their father often accompanying on piano. Since both their parents are also musicians, the sisters’ home environment was ideal for establishing a love for performance.

“My mom was more of a practice buddy than a teacher. It was nice to be in my room practicing and have my mom come in and say, ‘I think you have that note wrong,’” Alice said.

Alice and Eleanor worked with Hutchison to select pieces that would best utilize the organ. The sisters both speak highly of Hutchison’s musical ability.

“Sam is really easy to work with,” Alice said. “He’s a really good musician, very supportive. He’s able to make the concerts an intimate setting, which is an incredible feat with such a big hall.”

The pair spoke of the “strange combination of instruments” that is the organ and two violins. When considering which pieces to choose for the concert, the three musicians kept this in mind.

“We were looking for pieces with symphonic qualities,” Eleanor said. They looked for pieces that included more low tones and had a “sustained quality.” By including the organ, pieces that featured long, drawn-out notes could be easily played because on an organ, notes can be held for much longer than on the piano.

On Friday, the trio will perform Bach’s “Concerto for Two Violins,” which was originally written for two violins and orchestra. Hutchison performs the full range of orchestral parts using the pedals on the organ to mimic the sounds that the cello and bass strings would play, while his right hand covers the upper reed voices.

Playing alongside an organ presents some challenges. Since the pipes are located at the back of the stage, and Alice and Eleanor perform at the front, a slight delay exists between what is actually being played on the organ and what they are hearing. The pair make up for this by looking at each other frequently while on stage performing, and back to Hutchison occasionally as well. “[We] just trust that he’s with us,” Alice said. “He’s such a great musician.”

While the sisters are both are accomplished musicians, the thrill of solo performance has not worn off. “[Performing solos] is one of the coolest feelings ever,” Alice said. “You still get that fluttery feeling.”

“You always still experience nerves, but it’s so nice to have Alice up there because it feels fun,” Eleanor added.

Before a concert, Alice and Eleanor practice up to 10 hours every day and never less than four to five hours.

“It can be a physical thing too. You have to warm up in the same way as an athlete would,” Eleanor said. “I do yoga. You start to feel it more as you get older. Not that I am older!” She laughed.

For the Nov. 8 performance at Overture, student rush tickets will be available at $10 on the day of the event. Students can choose among the best available seats and purchase tickets at this price with a valid student ID.