Emi Murata

Emi Murata, MM, NCTM made her debut at age sixteen as concerto soloist with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. Teachers and coaches include Ian Hobson, Helen Kettner, Janice Razaq, Joseph Banowetz, Seymour Bernstein, Jose Feghali, and Peter Takács. In addition to performing as a soloist, Ms. Murata is a founding member of Piano à la Quartette, a two piano, eight hands ensemble, and also the Murata Trio, formed with daughters, Natasia, cellist and Sophia, violinist. She co-organizes the triennial Glorious Grands: A Piano Extravaganza!!!, an 8 Steinway grand piano concert, first held in 2011 at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn and at CSO’s Symphony Center for their Keys To The City Piano Festival. Ms. Murata is an experienced teacher and clinician, has published articles, and enjoys presenting master classes. She has taught piano, class piano, theory, sight singing and ear training, and has been an adjunct faculty member at College of DuPage since 1991. A three-year cataloging project, resulting in a presentation, “Piano Trios for Tots through Teens: An Exploration of Piano, Violin and Cello Trios for the Beginning through Intermediate Levels,” took her, her daughters and other students to a dozen venues, including the 2014 Music Teachers National Association conferences. More recently, she presented and performed with her quartet, “Piano à la Quartette: How to Forge a Fabulous Foursome,” at the ISMTA 2019 Conference at Eastern Illinois University and MTNA 2020 Virtual Conference in Chicago. Emi enjoys teaching all ages and abilities, and has worked with students ages 3 through retiree. Her students range from competition winners, to those who play piano for enjoyment and therapy. She also has experience with students with disabilities, such as autism and fewer than 10 fingers. In addition to being past President (2009-2013) and current Certification Chair of Salt Creek Music Teachers Association (2011 MTNA’s Local Association of the Year) and former President of Musicians Club of Women (1991- 1993), Emi is also a member of Chicago Area Music Teachers Association, Illinois Music Association, and Lake View Musical Society. She was voted Member of the Year by her colleagues at CAMTA (1999) and SCMTA (2008) and nominated by SCMTA to be a 2014 MTNA Foundation Fellow, a distinction held only by two other SCMTA members in the Foundation’s history.