Emily Connolly began violin at the age of four at the Western Springs School of Talent Education, and ever since then has been drawn to all aspects of the violin. She went to the University of Michigan for a degree in Violin Performance, where she studied with Gabriel Bolkosky, Andrew Jennings, and Yehonatan Berick in her four years there. She also has received a Masters Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music in Violin Performance. There, she studied with Joan Kwuon, a world renowned soloist, and did her long term Suzuki Training with Kimberly Meier-Sims.
At University of Michigan, she became Concertmaster of the University Philharmonic Orchestra, and Concertmaster for the University Musical Society Orchestra. She has played in violin masterclasses with David Kim, David Halen, Kathleen Winkler, and Paul Kantor, and in one masterclass performing a piece for violin and voice for world famous vocalist, Renee Fleming. She also was involved in the Chamber Program at U of M, coached by Richard Aaron and Anthony Elliot. While in school, she also played with the Detroit Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, and the Dearborn Symphony Orchestras. She expanded her musical styles by playing with Jazz ensembles and projects, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Baroque Orchestra, and multiple world culture music events.
After graduating in 2014 with Honors, she took the summer to take Suzuki Teacher Trainings for books 1 through 5 with Edward Kreitman over the span of 3 months to fully immerse herself. Since then, she has done multiple workshops to further her education with Helen Brunner, Allen Lieb, Cathy Lee, Daina Volodka-Staggs, Nancy Jackson, and Thomas Wermuth. She went to the Cleveland Institute of Music to pursue her long-term Teacher Training with Kimberly Meier-Sims, where she completed training of Books 1-10. She has also completed Thomas Wermuth’s “Mozart Course”, covering the Pedagogy of all 5 Mozart Violin Concertos, as well as his “Kreisler Course”, covering Kreisler’s Show Pieces and delving deeper in teaching the adult teen student.
Emily moved to Austin, Texas in 2015 to pursue her love for teaching after graduating from University of Michigan. She became the head violin teacher at two music studios where she implemented an entire Suzuki program including workshops, masterclasses for both teachers and students, and her own violin/viola summer camp. She also taught private violin lessons in four different public schools, and became an Orchestra teacher at Tippit Middle School for an intermediate orchestra and beginning orchestra class, where she taught the Suzuki Method as well. She performed with the Round Rock Symphony, Temple Symphony, Golden Age Orchestra, River Pointe Church Band, and more.
During her time at CIM from 2016-2018, she studied with the Cavani Quartet, as well as Peter Salaff. She also took Masterclasses with the world-famous soloist Jamie Laredo, as well as Orchestral Studies with Stephen Rose. Emily was a Suzuki Teacher at the Sato Center for Suzuki Studies for both Private and Group lessons, and a Suzuki Theory Teacher. She worked in the Preparatory Division Office, and as Kimberly Meier-Sims’ Pedagogy Assistant. She also was a Suzuki teacher at the Baldwin Wallace Suzuki Program in Berea, OH.
Throughout Emily’s life, she has traveled all over the world to perform and master her instrument. As Assistant Concert Mistress of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, she traveled to multiple countries in South America, and as a member of the Chicago Consort, under the direction of Thomas Wermuth, she has traveled to Germany, Prague, and Spain. For two summers, she went to the Astona International Music Festival in Switzerland where she performed in Zurich, Zug, and multiple other Swiss cities. She has also traveled to Puerto Rico, New York, California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and all around the Midwest to perform.
Emily now works at the Western Springs School of Talent Education and teaches all levels. She is widely known for her influence in teaching musical expression, her wide knowledge in technique, and her energetic, positive, and passionate energy. Her personal sound is described as “luscious tone and vibrato, organic nuance in the bow, and a wide range of expression from fiery to breathtaking”.
In her free time, she is a Yoga Teacher, and active fitness enthusiast. She loves exploring nature and being outside with her husband, Patrick Connolly, and their dog, Parker