Emily is in her 12th year of teaching music. She spent four years in Kuwait as a Middle and High School Band teacher, six years in Korea, at Dwight School Seoul, teaching IB PYP Music/Drama and Middle School Band, and is now in her second year at Dwight School Hanoi, teaching IB MYP and DP Music. Across all these roles, her passion has stayed the same, helping students discover the joy and power of music.
Emily’s primary instrument is voice, but she plays all the band instruments. She majored in voice and became proficient in wind, brass, strings, and percussion. One of her “sparks” is the joy she finds in learning new instruments, especially traditional instruments from the countries where she lives, something she brings into her teaching to broaden students’ musical horizons.
The Journey into Music Education
Emily has known since her freshman year of high school that she wanted to be a music teacher, and she’s always been passionate about sharing the beauty of music with learners from PreK to Grade 12. Her master’s thesis focused on diversifying band repertoire with cultural music, exploring how students can see themselves, and the wider world, reflected in what they play. This work continues to shape her classroom today, where she strives to make music education inclusive, global, and representative of many different voices and traditions.
Performer, Collaborator, and Lifelong Musician
Alongside teaching, Emily has always remained an active performer. In the Middle East, she played French horn in orchestras and acted in musicals and pantomimes with Staged in Kuwait. During her time in Korea, she performed in pit orchestras for several musicals, sang as a soprano soloist with the Camarata choir, and played Cinderella in Into the Woods. In Hanoi, she has performs as a soprano soloist with the Hanoi Voices Choir and looks forward to playing in an orchestra again.
Beyond the Classroom
Outside of school, Emily enjoys a full and active life. She loves skiing and shares her home with two adorable cats. Whether she is in the classroom, on stage, or out on the slopes, Emily brings energy, enthusiasm, and creativity to everything she does.
