Literary. Whimsical. Feminist.

A prolific and creative composer, Emma Berkowitz wields a sound that is both intimate and boundless. Colleagues and mentors have described her work as colorful, striking, and evocative. Her recent works include Odysseus on Aeaea (a song cycle for mezzo-soprano), Red Sky at Morning (a solo bass piece inspired by stormy tides), and An Mhaighdean Mhara (an orchestral piece inspired by the Irish myth of the selkie).  ​

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Emma grew up in midcoast Maine amidst sand, snow, and pine trees. She danced to accordion-playing buskers on the uneven cobblestone streets of Portland and listened to the natural music of crashing waves and barking seals. Emma sang in choirs from a young age, and she found her compositional voice in college. She continued her musical studies at Skidmore College where she earned a B.A with honors in both English and Music. In 2023, Emma completed her Masters of Music Composition at Carnegie Mellon University where she saw her first orchestral premiere! Emma has been inducted into both the Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies.

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Emma was very close to pursuing a doctorate in English literature before she decided to continue with music composition. Leaving the world of literary analysis behind was difficult, but many of her compositions are inspired by her favorite works. Recently, she has found herself drawing inspiration from the likes of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Emily Bronte, and H.D. Despite the assertion from some music philosophers that music in its purest form is devoid of language, Emma finds that language is at the root of  all her music.​ 

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At Skidmore College, Emma used music theory to analyze "The Erl-King," a short story in Angela Carter's feminist fairytale anthology The Bloody Chamber. She came to the conclusion that, at least in "The Erl-King," highly structured sonority represents patriarchal values. The women, whom the Erl King turned to birds, chirp chaotically and discordantly. She perpetuates this idea by not forcing her music into any traditional structures, patterns, or rules. Of course, she does not believe in a gender binary, but she encourages everyone to explore their own musical language no matter how they identify. 

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Emma strives to create music that is whimsical, driving, and beautiful. As a lover of fantastical tales, she attempts to create magic in every piece. Her lifelong love of folk music has inspired her own unique soundscape. Though her pieces range from buoyantly jubilant to eerie, she wants her music to feel like a celebration of life. What is life but a long, convoluted dance?

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