Emma Oldfield

Emma began playing the violin in group classes in her primary school at the age of nine and was lucky enough to be introduced to orchestral playing almost immediately by her local music service. She went on to study at Chetham’s School of Music and in 2012 began her studies at the Royal College of Music with Jan Repko and Gaby Lester.

Aged 19, Emma became a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, and during her studies gained places on the English National Opera Evolve Scheme, the Philharmonia MMSF Fellowship Programme and the Hallé String Leadership Scheme at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied with Jim Clark.

Also a keen chamber musician, while at the RCM Emma formed a successful string quartet with friends. The quartet performed together for five years at venues such as Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, the Bridgewater Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, the Cadogan Hall and the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall.

Since graduating in 2018, Emma has enjoyed building up a varied freelance life and works with orchestras including the Philharmonia, Hallé, Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and Britten Sinfonia. She also regularly guest-leads the Copenhagen Philharmonic, where she was appointed on a short-term contract as 2nd Concertmaster prior to her appointment at the LPO.

She became Co-Principal Second Violin in June 2022.

Emma featured in the ‘Backstage’ interview in our Autumn 2021 edition of the Orchestra’s magazine, Tune In. Read the interview here.