Violinist Emily Konkle is an active freelancer in the Washington, DC area and performs regularly with surrounding groups including the Annapolis Symphony, the Richmond Symphony and the Apollo Orchestra. She appears frequently as a violinist with the Sage Quartet and Kennedy Quartet, in addition to regular performances at Candlelight Concerts presented by Fever. Emily has held positions on the music faculty at both Lycoming College and Juniata College, and she currently teaches at the Washington International School located in DC. 

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One of the greatest highlights of Emily's early career was her first-place win at the MTNA National Young Artist's Competition in 2015, which instilled in her a confidence in the power of persistence through daily practice. She has since abided by the 1% rule in which small, incremental improvements each day lead to substantial growth over time. (Although she's still trying to convince some of her students about this.) More recent career highlights include performing alongside acclaimed soloists Yo-Yo Ma with the Richmond Symphony in 2022 and James Ehnes with the Annapolis Symphony in 2023, in addition to a performance at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2024.

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Emily completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Maryland in 2024. Her dissertation, Listening to Revolution, studied the effects of historical and musical revolutions on the history of violin repertoire. A lifelong Nittany Lions fan, Emily received both a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degree from Penn State University. She feels utmost gratitude for the many teachers throughout her career who combined rigorous teaching with well-timed encouragement, most notably Professor Helen Kwalwasser, Maestro Luis Biava, Professor James Lyon, and Dr. James Stern.

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When she’s not teaching, performing, or practicing, Emily enjoys running, reading good books, and spending time outside with her family. A mother to two young boys, Emily is a passionate advocate for parents in the arts who delicately balance the dual but often confluent lives of creativity and parenting. She believes in the power of the arts to incite positive change, and she couldn’t be more grateful to be a musician.

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Emily is a member of the American Federation of Musicians, and she performs on a 1924 instrument crafted by Canadian luthier O.L. Holmgren.

"Emily has the world on a string..." 

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