Dr. Emily Schaad, CUSO Conductor |
Emily Schaad started her career on violin and viola, attending The Juilliard School and earning a B.M. in Viola Performance from Curtis Institute of Music. She holds an M.A. in Appalachian Studies from Appalachian State University and a DMA in Music Education at Boston University.
As music director of Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestras, Dr. Schaad led performances with Garrick Ohlssohn and Midori, and expanded the program both in educational mission and membership. She was artistic director and conductor of Greenville County Youth Orchestras in South Carolina from 2016-2019. She was a founder and artistic director of Stringendo, Inc., a non-profit community music school in New York’s Hudson Valley comprised of 7 youth orchestras, 5 traditional fiddle groups, and a summer camp. During her tenure as a director with Stringendo, Schaad led annual student trips around the country and to the United Kingdom. Her ensembles have performed at music education conferences, competitions, evaluation festivals, and in schools, concert halls, and castles. Dr. Schaad has taught elementary, middle, and high school strings in New York State and is a frequent guest conductor for all-county and regional festival orchestras. She is also a seasoned old-time musician, has taken first place in fiddle and old-time band at numerous fiddlers conventions, and has released several recordings. |