Emma McPhilemy

Emma McPhilemy is a ‘Selmer Paris Artist’, ’Vandoren UK Artist’, ‘KeyLeaves Artist’, international soloist and performer with a highly unique and versatile style to her playing. She graduated from The Royal Northern College of Music with a First Class Honours degree in 2017, completed ‘The International Artist Diploma’ under the tuition of Rob Buckland in 2019, and has since performed throughout the UK, Europe, China and Australia as a soloist and chamber musician.

Recent career highlights include making her debut concerto performance with The BBC Philharmonic, touring the UK, Europe and China as Musical Director and saxophone soloist in Bill Whelan’s production of ‘Riverdance’, recording soprano saxophone for the new 25th Riverdance album, travelling to Australia as guest artist at ‘The Melbourne Saxophone Festival’ and ‘Perth Saxophone Boot Camp’, and appearing in Cinema’s across the world after having performed with Riverdance at The 3Arena, Dublin.

Emma has managed several collaborative projects, international tours and performances around the UK and to China, Switzerland, Portugal, Croatia and Strasbourg. She also has worked regularly with ‘Opera North’ and ‘The Manchester Camerata’.

Towards the end of 2019/ beginning of 2020, Emma appeared as a guest performer at RNCM’s ‘SAX DAY’, gave recitals at St Martin-in-the-Fields, St James’s Piccadilly and gave a masterclass to postgraduate and undergraduate students at Trinity Laban school of Music and Dance.

As an Educator, Emma has a vast amount of experience in teaching from beginner, to advanced, post-conservatoire standard. From teaching at local schools and music hubs, to giving professional masterclasses and lessons at Universities in China, Melbourne, Perth and London, she thrives off of passing on her knowledge to students.

During Lockdown, Emma co-created an online, saxophone series called #lockthesaxdown. She teamed up with composer, Jenni Watson, and made weekly demo’s and challenges for saxophonists to take part in from all over the world. The project really took off and became a saxophone, social-media trend. She launched a Kickstarter campaign with the hope of turning these demos into an album. The funding was successful, and Emma and Jenni have recorded the whole album, and are now in mixing and mastering stages. They are hoping to release the album over the coming months.

The end of 2021 holds a rescheduled Riverdance tour, performing with the company throughout the UK. Emma also plans to make an appearance at the 2022 World Saxophone Congress in Japan, and in Trento at the European Saxophone Congress as an ambassador for the UK pedagogy.

Many thanks to ‘The Countess of Munster Musical Trust’, and ‘The Concordia Foundation’ for their continued support of her performance career.

Reviews:

“I was so happy to have Emma’s excellent tone and musicianship on the palette of the score.”

Bill Whelan, composer of ‘Riverdance’

“McPhilemy drew the attention and respect of both orchestra and audience. With seemingly effortless control she manipulated her tone from crystalline transparency to molten gold, coupled with sheer presence and huge musical integrity”.

Andy Scott, composer and saxophonist. Review of Harrold Saxophone Concerto with BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in ‘Clarinet and Saxophone Society’ magazine.