Emily Schaad is Director of Orchestral Activities at SUNY Fredonia School of Music, where she directs the symphony orchestra, opera, and chamber orchestras and teaches conducting. She started her career on violin and viola, attending The Juilliard School and earning a BM in Viola Performance from Curtis Institute of Music. She holds an MA in Appalachian Studies from Appalachian State University and a DMA in Music Education at Boston University. Most recently, she was Director of Orchestral Activities at Clemson University and orchestra conductor at South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.
Dr. Schaad has acted as music director of Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestras and Greenville County Youth Orchestras, and is a founder of Stringendo, Inc. and Strawberry Hill Fiddlers. Her ensembles have performed at NAfME, ASTA, and NYSSMA conferences, recorded albums, and traveled throughout the USA and UK. Dr. Schaad has taught elementary, middle, and high school strings in New York State and is a frequent guest conductor for region and all-state orchestras.
Dr. Schaad is sought after as an old-time fiddler and instructor at folk music camps and festivals. Her doctoral research examined recontextualization of traditional folk music in instructional settings. She is passionate about creating safe and inclusive spaces in orchestral learning environments and providing access to music instruction in public schools. She can be reached at schaad@fredonia.edu.
