School of Music

Maria Emmons is a violinist, string teacher, and arts administrator. Currently, she is a string instructor with the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, violin and viola faculty for the Ralla Klepak and Preparatory programs at Illinois Wesleyan University, violin faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan during the summer, and assistant librarian for the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Previously she has been a graduate assistant with the Illinois State University String Project, violin coach with the University of New Hampshire Youth Symphony Orchestras, and marketing intern with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra in New Hampshire. Maria maintains a large private studio and is Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Method certified. 

As a violinist, she has regularly performed in the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra (assistant and substitute concertmaster), Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony Society (substitute concertmaster), MiOpera, and Symphony NH. She enjoys performing in pit orchestras, and was a violinist on the 2019 PBS special: Tim Janis Celtic Heart. 

Maria received a Master of Music in violin performance degree from Illinois State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance degree from the University of New Hampshire, where she graduated with honors, along with minors in arts administration and business administration.