Artist Statement

Emily Hiemstra (neé Walker) is an award winning and multidisciplinary artist who works as a violist, composer, teacher and songwriter in Toronto, ON. Her music has been performed throughout Europe, the U.S.A. and Canada, including festivals such as the Carrefour Chamber Music Project (Boston, MA), Podium (Halifax, NS), Numus (Waterloo, ON) and Fresh Inc. (Milwaukee, WI). Her orchestral and operatic background as a musician has deepened her understanding of colour and texture which she readily applies in her compositions to create clear and innovative works.

As a composer, Emily is influenced by a kaleidoscope of artists; from Bela Bartok, Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass and Benjamin Britten to indie folk songwriters like Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver. She takes a holistic approach to writing, seeking to make music that is enjoyable and captivating for both the performer and listener. Her biggest influence comes from family life as a mother of two; it informs the evident tension in her music and her ability to create a sense of playfulness and curiosity while also maintaining the clarity and intentionality of someone keenly aware of the precious gift of time.

Her passion for writing choral music, especially in collaborating and championing new voices, has led her to compose music to the works of female poets like Lucy Maud Montgomery, Sara Teasdale, Hannah More, Susan Turner and Mary Elizabeth Coleridge. Her piece with text by Lucy Maud Montgomery I Asked of God, was recorded on the JUNO nominated Canadian Chamber Choir album, Sacred Reflections in 2015.

Emily is a member of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and the Association of Canadian Women Composers (ACWC). She is currently working on a song cycle based on poems by Joy Davidman for the choir Myriad to be premiered Spring 2024 and a botany-inspired suite for viola and piano to be premiered Fall 2024.