About
Emma is passionate about music in general, and singing more specifically! With over fifteen years of experience behind her, Emma has witnessed that in whatever context it arises, singing is important, empowering and has the ability to transform lives.
Alongside her work as a choir and workshop leader, Emma also co-directs Sounds Joyful, a Community Interest Company that is transforming how community music is delivered and experienced in order to help people live well with a range of long-term health issues.
"Emma creates a warm, friendly and uplifting experience for the people around her, no matter what she is delivering!"
Sophie B,
PRP Contemporary Choir Member
Emma's Background
Emma's inherent musicality was spotted at a young age by her parents - every time a piece of music was played, she would instinctively start moving in time to the beat and singing along. At the age of seven, she studied piano as her first instrument under the guidance of Carol Rudge, swiftly achieving her Grade 8. Her love of singing came a little later, when her inspirational secondary school music teacher Alison Cooper encouraged her to accompany the school Gospel Choir. Emma saw the powerful and transformative effect that singing had on everyone involved in the choir and band and this inspired her to compose and arrange choral and vocal music. Emma went on to study composition at the Royal Northern College of Music.
After receiving an academic scholarship to study at Cardiff University, Emma completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with First Class Honours. With a few years work under her belt supporting troubled young people into education and employment, she accepted a place on the Graduate Teacher Programme in primary teaching, based in Somerset. She passed with 'Outstanding' teacher status.
Emma worked at a number of local primary schools in the South West, specialising in music and inspired the next generation of young singers with her upbeat and engaging Pop Choirs. She gave these choirs fantastic opportunities to experience the joy of performing and they also competed at singing festivals.
In her spare time, Emma founded Village Voices Community Choir in Pilton (home of Glastonbury Festival) and was appointed co-director of her first CIC, a wellbeing music company. Emma's reputation grew and after taking a break from teaching to raise her young family, she made the decision to leave classroom teaching and focus fully on developing her music career. Emma hasn't looked back.
Emma loves to learn and continues to embrace opportunities to improve her practice. Over the past few years Emma has completed conducting courses with the Association of British Choral Directors. She is a member of the Inspire Choir Leader network and attends monthly inspirational CPD training sessions delivered by world-class singing leaders, ensuring that she keeps things fresh and relevant for her singers too! Her main source of motivation for self-improvement comes from her own singing teacher, Tara Roberts, who has shown Emma first hand the empowering impact that singing has on every aspect of life and without whom, Emma would not be in the position she is to inspire others.
A keen advocate of collaborative work, Emma has enjoyed working with lots of like-minded local musicians and continues to do this as she develops new and exciting strands of her business.
A big thanks goes out to the amazing Denyer family - not only for being fabulous humans (with great taste in pink jackets), but also for being as dedicated to Emma's vision of sharing the joy as she is, and doing everything in their power to make it happen; to Jo Coomber for helping Emma continue to see life through a different lens and for simply being the best collaborator Emma could dream of working with; to Niamh McGrogan for all the inspiring talks over a beer or two which keep all the projects at Emma Wheat Music moving forward and growing; to Beth Morgan and all the amazing Inspire Choir Leaders who are out there making the world a better place, one song at a time; and finally to her wonderful family for their unwavering support.