Emma Sepmeier

Emma Sepmeier serves as Instructor of Horn at Northern Illinois University's School of Music within the College of Visual and Performing Arts. She concurrently teaches at the Merit School of Music (directing the Merit Summer Horn Workshop) and Music Institute of Chicago, with prior teaching appointments at youth symphonies in Chicago, Boston, and Milwaukee, plus Chicago High School for the Arts and The Peoples Music School.

Her educational credentials include:

• Bachelor of Music in Horn Performance from Boston University
• Bachelor of Music Education from Boston University
• Master of Music in Horn Performance from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Specializing in Horn Performance and Music Education, Sepmeier's pedagogy centers on developing individual artistic voices through personalized technical instruction. Her extensive orchestral experience with ensembles like the Chicago Sinfonietta and Lyric Opera of Chicago directly informs her teaching of orchestral repertoire and chamber music, emphasizing expressive interpretation alongside technical mastery.

Sepmeier mentors horn students across multiple institutions, with her students consistently gaining admission to top conservatories and establishing careers as performers and educators nationwide. Her active performance schedule and leadership of the Merit Summer Horn Workshop provide students with professional-level training opportunities and industry connections.

At the Merit School of Music, she directs the intensive Merit Summer Horn Workshop, while her NIU studio focuses on comprehensive horn instruction within the university's performance programs. This multi-institutional approach allows her to cultivate talent at various educational levels from pre-collegiate through university training.