Emily Ondracek, Violinist and Director of Hire Conservatory Alumni

At 16, Ms. Ondracek gave her solo debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concertos. Since that time, she has performed throughout the United States and Europe, and at festivals such as Aspen, Italy’s Festival de Due Mondi, and the Cleveland Orchestra’s Blossom Summer Music festival, where she was awarded the Joseph Gingold prize for outstanding performance.

In New York, Ms. Ondracek frequently gives recitals, recently giving the debut of Histoire de Babar for violin and piano at the Steinway Hall Recital Series. This past fall, she performed in a hurricane benefit concert with Herbie Hancock. In addition, she has performed at over one hundred weddings and other special events in the New York/Tri-State area.

Ms. Ondracek is in high demand as a teacher. For the past two years, Ms. Ondracek has received the Morse Fellowship, a grant for resident teaching artists in the New York Public School system. A certified Suzuki instructor, she teaches at School for Strings and has given violin workshops throughout the country. Ms. Ondracek also maintains a private violin studio in New York City.

Ms. Ondracek received both her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Maseo Kawasaki. She currently performs on a violin made by Francois Pique in 1815.

In her limited spare time, Ms. Ondracek can be found reading great literature and tending to her orchids.