Her initial degree was undertaken at the University of Newcastle, where her teachers and mentors included Anthea Scott-Mitchell, Susan Collins, Philip Matthias, Nigel Butterley and David Jones. Emma first attended Border Music Camp in 2000, when she tutored 3rd Violin in Cran, under the baton of Barbara Cran. Emma has been the conductor of Cran since 2009.

From 1998 until 2006, Emma worked as a freelance instrumental teacher and violist in Sydney. She established and directed half a dozen primary school string programs and ensembles across northern Sydney, and performed with orchestras and chamber ensembles, including the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sydney Chamber Players, and the TOPS Symphony Orchestra.

From 2006-2008, Emma studied and taught at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK. Her teachers and mentors at this time included Alex Robertson, Mark Elder, Mark Heron, and Bethan James. As part of her degree, Emma did a three-month internship in chamber music and conducting, run by the Berlin Philharmonic, where she studied under Wolfgang Talirz and Simon Rattle.

Since 2009, Emma has been based in Central Victoria, where she and co-Artistic Director Heather Cummins set up and took on the running of Resonance String Orchestra. She teaches strings and conducts ensembles at Girton Grammar School, sings in a couple of local choirs, and conducts The Castlemaine Singers. In 2025, Emma was awarded a 2-year composing mentorship with Robert MacIntyre as part of the Flinders Quartet residency with Resonance String Orchestra.

Emma spends her spare time planning repertoire for Cran, and rehearsal schedules and future guest artists for Resonance, while tending her garden. One of her fondest memories is fitting Dame Joan Sutherland with a false moustache.