Emily’s formative instructors were Catherine Graff, Ronald Leonard and Hans Jorgen Jensen, whose influence is at the heart of her approach to practice, lessons, and performance.
Her technique-centric and individually tailored curriculum is designed to guide adult students of all backgrounds and ambitions to their goals. Emily’s approach combines cello technique with a broad overview of musical concepts and historical context, preparing students regardless of whether they continue with the cello for years or decide to change to another instrument after the initial trial period. Music reading is taught from day one, and her robustly technical approach includes solo works, scales and studies chosen specifically for each student. Emily encourages and prepares her pupils for auditions, recitals, competitions and summer music festivals. While these are not mandatory, they are extremely valuable and help turn a player into an artist. Adults, whether beginners or well-developed veterans can expect to realize their musical aspirations, so long as they maintain a solid schedule of lessons and practice. At any one time, Emily’s students are playing in professional and semi-professional orchestras, bands, and chamber groups around the country. Separating her from many string teachers is her refusal to subscribe to the myth that one has to be born with the cello in hand in order to make it a substantial and meaningful part of life. A book, entitled Never Too Late was written on this very subject, and should be required reading for the late beginner. Emily’s own text, A Modern Cellist’s Manual, was published in 2010, with a second and third volume in the works. She is an associate editor at Strings magazine and teaches private lessons and workshops in the NYC metro area. In 2020, she formed Tamarack Arts, a nonprofit that organizes classes, workshops, and retreats for adult learners all over the world.
Emily also specializes in coaching actors whose parts require them to appear to play a stringed instrument. These coachings are very different from standard instrumental lessons, as the goal is to look proficient in a very short amount of time. By accepting the purely physical nature of the task (and with the help of a few closely-guarded tricks), Emily has helped numerous high-profile actors play their parts convincingly. Lessons are available in-home and on set, with efficacy and discretion absolute priorities.
When she’s not focused on music, Emily is a hockey-obsessed aviation enthusiast, occasional college adjunct professor, and student winemaker.
