Emma Gierszal (she/her) is a versatile musician dedicated to sharing new musical experiences with others. She started her journey performing for and producing the John Psathas Percussion Project guided by her undergraduate professor, Omar Carmenates. During her studies at Eastman, she seized every opportunity to perform with Musica Nova, Ossia New Music, EARS, and participate in recording projects of new works. In 2022, she performed Viet Cuong's quartet concerto, 'Re(new)al,' in front of the Albany Symphony Orchestra with other Eastman alum. In 2023, Emma commissioned and recorded Austin Keck's 'Evanescence' as a member of 3D Percussion and then performed the premiere with the Eastman Percussion Ensemble at the IPEA International Percussion Competition in Shanghai.

Emma has participated in competitive orchestral and contemporary music festivals, including the Lucerne Festival Academy in 2023, Grafenegg Academy in 2021 and 2022, the National Repertory Orchestra in 2021 (where she had the privilege of performing in front of the orchestra), and the Chautauqua Summer Music Festival in 2019. In 2018, she was honored to receive the Mary Ann Starring Memorial Award and perform at Sigma Alpha Iota's national convention.

Emma’s latest adventure has brought her back to Greenville, SC as a visiting professor at her undergraduate university, Furman, teaching both the percussion studio and World Music. While pursuing her doctorate at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, she enjoyed teaching percussion at the Hochstein School of Music and served as an adjunct percussion lecturer at Nazareth University. She is frequently on stage with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra while continuing to perform with the Eastman Percussion Ensemble and 3D Percussion. Taking an interest in Rochester’s local music scene, she serves as the President of the Board for the chamber ensemble, fivebyfive, and has published an Eastman Case Study focused on the after-school music program, ROCmusic.

Emma holds an M.M. degree in Percussion Performance and Literature and an Arts Leadership Certificate from Eastman, as well as a B.M. degree in Music Education from Furman University in Greenville, SC. In her free time, Emma enjoys lint-rolling her concert clothes and training her cats, Goku and Krillin, in martial arts.