Emma Marie Fernández began her journey as a pianist at the age of ten. Through involvement in choral and instrumental activities and cultivating interests in voice, piano, music theory, music history, and more, Emma received a comprehensive music education. During high school, she received exceptional results in local piano festivals, honors recitals, National Piano Guild Auditions, Texas Music Teachers Association theory examinations, and The Royal Conservatory of Music practical and theory examinations. She was also selected to participate in the University of Missouri-Kansas City Piano Institute and the Texas Woman’s University Piano Institute, studying under esteemed faculty and performing in masterclasses and recitals.
Emma graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Texas Woman’s University and is pursuing a Master of Music with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy. As an undergraduate student, she was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honors society and was invited into the National Society of Leadership and Success. She was a 2025-2026 Experiential Student Scholar at Texas Woman’s University, selected for an intensive program that provided her with the opportunity to begin new pedagogical research and projects under the guidance of a mentor. Her research has primarily centered around underrepresented Latin American composers and utilizing improvisation in the piano studio, and she has presented at the MTNA Collegiate Symposium, the Texas Woman’s University Creative Arts and Research Symposium, and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
Recognizing the importance of furthering her experience as a musician and teacher, she strives to learn and grow through the mentorship of accomplished musicians and pedagogues, studying under Dr. Richard Shuster and Dr. Fanarelia Guerrero-Lopez.
Emma has continued to expand her musical versatility through composition, finding a passion for creating music of her own. In 2025, Emma premiered a solo piano work at the Texas Woman’s University Composition Showcase. Her first composition for clarinet was performed by the Metroplex Clarinet Quartet at the 2025 Chamber Music Composition Program at Tarrant County College and at the 2026 TMEA Convention in San Antonio, Texas. In 2026, her first work for piano trio premiered at Texas Woman’s University.
As a teacher and musician, Emma believes in maintaining strong involvement in local and national music organizations to continue her experience and growth as a teacher. She is an active member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers and the Music Teachers National Association, and in both the Fort Worth Music Teachers Association and Mid-Cities Music Teachers Association. Emma has been an All-Star Festival adjudicator at the 2025 and 2026 TMTA State Conference, providing feedback to students who perform at various levels of difficulty.
She is certified as an Elementary Specialist through The Royal Conservatory of Music, through which her students continually receive successful marks in practical examinations at various levels. Additionally, her students consistently receive high marks at the National Piano Guild Auditions and at local piano festivals.
Most importantly, as a private instructor, Emma not only believes in equipping her students to excel as musicians, but also focuses on her main objective of fostering a deeper love and appreciation of music in her students and encouraging them in their musical endeavors and goals. She looks forward to sharing her love of music with her students!
