As a classical saxophonist, Emma has studied with leading educators and performers, Roger Birkeland and Matthew Beck, along with participating in masterclasses led by Dr. J. Michael Weiss-Holmes, Dr. Taimur Sullivan, and Richard Brasseale. Emma is a two-time winner in the Elmhurst University Solo Honors Recital and winner of the Elmhurst Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition.
Specializing in orchestral saxophone, Emma has performed with the DuPage Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra, Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Composers Orchestra, Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra's Philharmonic Orchestra at Orchestra Hall. She has been featured as a saxophone soloist with orchestra in Ravel’s Bolero, Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet, Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Rachmoninov’s Symphonic Dances. Other repertoire includes An American In Paris, Vaughan Williams’s Symphony No. 9, John Williams’s Cantina Band, Henry Mancini’s Peter Gunn, and Gala Flagello’s Persist.
A frequent performer in the concert band idiom, Emma is a member of the Naperville Winds and substitute for the Wheaton Municipal Band. As a classical chamber musician, Emma has performed with the Saxophone Choir of the Naperville Winds, along with premiering new compositions with her collegiate quartets.
Classical Saxophone
As a passionate performer of big band jazz, Emma began her career with the world-renowned Elmhurst University Jazz Band. With this ensemble, she performed at multiple jazz festivals and with artists such as Kurt Elling, Denis DiBlasio, Wayne Bergeron, Jeff Hamilton, Dennis Mackrel, Tamir Hendelman, Tarrel Stafford, Carmen Bradford, Steve Weist, Roberta Gambarini, Byron Stripling, Ryan Truesdell, and Mike Smith. In 2022, Emma recorded her debut album with EUJB, Some Of My Best Friends, featuring Bob Brookmeyer compositions conducted by leading Brookmeyer expert, Dave Rivello.
Emma's biggest influence in her career as a jazz saxophonist comes from her time studying with the late legend, Mark Colby. She has learned from many other notable jazz musicians, including Doug Beach, Dan Nicholson, Kirk Garrison, Ted Hogarth, and more. Emma can be seen today performing with area big bands, such as the Pete Ellman Big Band, Heisenberg Uncertainty Players, and Shout Section Big Band
Jazz Saxophone
Emma’s career in music began in elementary school when she began performing in community musical theatre. Today, she regularly performs in the pits for musicals. She has played with Ghostlight Educational Theatre Cooperative, Natural Talent Productions, Big Noise Theatre, and Elmhurst University Musical Theatre. Some of the shows she has played in include Anastasia, The Prom, Footloose, Heathers, The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde, Cabaret, and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Emma’s woodwind specialties include saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone), clarinet (Bb, A), bass clarinet, flute, and piccolo.
Woodwind Specialist
Collaborations
Emma has been fortunate to perform with many leading professionals in the music industry. Collaborations include:
Mary Elizabeth Bowden, Kurt Elling, Denis DiBlasio, Wayne Bergeron, Jeff Hamilton, Dennis Mackrel, Tamir Hendelman, Terell Stafford, Carmen Bradford, Steve Weist, Roberta Gambarini, Byron Stripling, Ryan Truesdell, Dave Rivello, Mike Smith, Tom “Bones” Malone, Roger Ingram, Tom Garling, Steven and Misa Mead, along with opening for the Village Vanguard Orchestra and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band.
Performances
Elmhurst University Concerto Competition Winner, 2023
Elmhurst University Honors Solo Recital Winner & Outstanding Performance, 2022
Romeo & Juliet at Orchestra Hall
Cantina Band with New Philharmonic Orchestra