Emily Ondracek-Peterson

Dr. Emily Ondracek-Peterson is a leader in numerous fields: performance, artistic direction, arts advocacy, administration, education, career research, entrepreneurship, and academia. She holds performance degrees from The Juilliard School and a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University. As violinist, she has received acclaim from leading publications including The New York Times, been soloist with ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and recorded for leading record labels. Dr. Ondracek-Peterson is a leader in multiple organizations – Executive Director of the Diehn School at Old Dominion University and Festival Director of the Crested Butte Music Festival. Additionally, she holds an MBA with specializations in both Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

Praised by The New York Times for her “elegant solowork,” and by Strad magazine for her “dazzling passagework,” Dr. Ondracek is a rising star of violin performance. Dr. Ondracek is a native of Chicago and began playing the violin at the age of 4. When sixteen she gave her solo debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concertos. Dr. Ondracek has performed solo and chamber music performances at all the major venues in New York City including as soloist at Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, the Guggenheim, MoMA, {le} poisson rouge, the Apollo Theatre, Bargemusic, Merkin Hall, Alvin Ailey Dance Center, Trinity Wall Street, Steinway Hall, and Symphony Space.

As first violinist of the acclaimed Voxare String Quartet, Dr. Ondracek has been awarded Chamber Music America’s ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. With Voxare she toured nationally and abroad. She has also performed and recorded with the Talea Ensemble; the Wordless Orchestra with Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead); Axiom; Classical Jam; the Japanese band, Mono. Taking pride in contemporary-music advocacy, she has worked with composers both young and established, including Pulitzer Prize-winning composers Ned Rorem and David Del Tredici, both of which has requested recordings of their works.

Education plays a large role in Dr. Ondracek’s professional activities. Currently, Dr. Ondracek is Executive Director of the Diehn School of Music at Old Dominion University, and is on faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Ondracek has held residencies at Dartmouth College, the University of Leeds (UK), University of Virginia, and others. She is a two-time Morse Fellow and was a New York Philharmonic Teaching Artist, bringing creative music instruction to a wide range of K-12 schools including those in Harlem and the Bronx. Dr. Ondracek’s research has been presented throughout the United States; she delivered the keynote seminar at the College Music Society’s National Conference. With esteemed flutist and arts advocate, Eugenia Zukerman, Dr. Ondracek created Noted Endeavors, a video series that interviews leading musicians, administrators, and entrepreneurs. Dr. Ondracek has lectured on classical music careers at universities and conservatories throughout the country. Additionally, Dr. Ondracek-Peterson sat on the Rutt Bridges Venture Capital Board and on the Educational Board of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.