Emily O’Brien (she/her) is a multiple woodwind performer in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with extensive experience playing in musical pit orchestras. As an active performer on flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, and tenor saxophone, she is able to play in productions of varying styles, helping her to become a well-versed musician.

While in school, she has sought out performance opportunities and has been fortunate to play in pit orchestras for a variety of shows including Cabaret, Legally Blonde, Dreamgirls, and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. These productions, in addition to her experience in high school playing in the orchestra for West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof, have helped to solidify her love for pit orchestra performance.

During the summer of 2024, Emily participated in summer stock theatre at the College Light Opera Company in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She played in the pit orchestra for 7 productions, each running for a week while rehearsing the show for the following week. The season featured Brigadoon, Iolanthe, Holiday Inn, Gypsy, The New Moon, Patience, and A Little Night Music.

In addition to performing, Emily has taught private music lessons for 6 years and currently teaches in Denton Independent School District public schools. Through teaching piano and woodwinds, she aims to instill a love of music in her students by introducing repertoire outside of the classical teaching realm and finding ways to teach students through music they are familiar with and enjoy playing.

Outside of music, Emily has worked in performance venue front of house management for 3 years. She started at the University of North Texas Murchison Performing Arts Center, managing symphonic concerts in the 1,025 seat Winspear Performance Hall and operas in the 400 seat Lyric Theatre. This led her to a career with Broadway Dallas where she works as a Head Usher and Lobby Lead at the Music Hall at Fair Park in its 3,420 seat performance space. In both of these performance spaces she has been

Emily is currently a student at the University of North Texas pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Performance (Clarinet) and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. Emily currently studies with Phillip Paglialonga (University of North Texas). She has also worked with Gregory Raden (Dallas Symphony Orchestra) and Rob Patterson (Boston University). During her time at UNT she has been part of the Wind Symhpony, Studio Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble in addition to chamber music ensembles. In her free time, Emily enjoys crocheting, reading, and listening to podcasts.

New York University Broadway Winds

During the summer of 2022, Emily participated in New York University's Broadway Winds program, where she was able to work with reed players currently performing on Broadway. The program included masterclasses with Steve Kenyon, Rick Heckman, Kristy Norter, Ed Matthew, and Mark Thrasher, who at the time were performing in The Music Man, Tina, Phantom of the Opera, and Aladdin.

Juilliard Summer Winds

During the summer of 2020, Emily participated in the Juilliard Summer Winds program where she had the opportunity to study with Anthony McGill (New York Philharmonic) as well as participate in a variety of masterclasses with world class clarinetists. These guest artists included Yehuda Gilad (University of Southern California), Anton Rist (Metropolitan Opera), Pavel Vinnitsky (New York University), Jessica Phillips (Metropolitan Opera), Alex Fiterstein (Peabody Institute), Alex Laing (Phoenix Symphony), and Jon Manasse (Juilliard).

Other sessions and guest artists included Alexander Technique with Lori Schiff (Juilliard), instrument repair with Liam Burke, conducting with David Robertson, improvisation and jazz with Nicole Mitchell (University of Virginia) and Mark Dover (Imani Winds), and performance anxiety with Noa Kageyama (Bulletproof Musician).

James Madison High School

Emily graduated from James Madison High School in 2021. During her time at school, she was heavily involved in the Wind Symphony, Marching Band, and the annual musical pit orchestras.

She performed in the orchestra for the school's productions of Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story. In her final year at school she was awarded the John Philip Sousa Award as well as the school's outstanding Instrumental Band Award for being a member of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Director Association's District 12 Band for 4 years (on both Bb and Eb clarinets), and a member of the All-Virginia State Band for 3 years.