Over the past decade, Emma Rush has established herself as one of Canada’s preeminent classical guitarists. Known for her innovative programming and powerful stage presence, along with her warm sound and virtuosic technique, an event with Emma Rush is one to remember. Emma Rush’s career has commanded world recognition. Recent touring highlights include a four-city tour in China, starting with the Altamira Shanghai International Guitar Festival, appearances at guitar festivals including Festival de Guitarras Lagos de Moreno (Mexico), the Nyköping Gitaarseminarium (Sweden), and a prestigious concert at the Internationales Gitarren Symposion, Iserlohn (Germany). Canadian appearances have included concerts in Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax, Moncton, and Winnipeg, along with performances throughout Ontario as both a soloist and chamber musician. She performs regularly as Azuline Duo with flutist Sara Traficante with appearances in 2017 at the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival (ON) and the Lonestar Guitar Festival (Texas). Rush was a featured Debut Atlantic artist and toured throughout Canada’s Maritime Provinces in the 2016-17 season.

Rush is an avid collaborator and has presented music with Canadian guitarist Timothy Phelan, toured with German guitarist Eva Beneke, appeared as a soloist with Symphony on the Bay, Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, Musicata Choir, and Sinfonia Ancaster, and has recently performed with Canadian rock legend Rik Emmet and fingerstyle guitar powerhouse Don Ross.

In 2017, Emma Rush was included in a line up of all-star Canadian guitarists including Bruce Cockburn and Jesse Cook in the Group of Seven Guitar Project documentary commissioned by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

In February, 2018, Rush will be found on Malcolm Island, BC, as the Sointula Artist-in-Residence. She will be in residence at GEDOK in Lübeck, Germany in the fall of 2018 to prepare a new recording project.

Canadiana, Rush’s newest CD release, features solo guitar arrangements of classic Canadian songs by Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, and Stan Rogers, and a new work by Canadian composer William Beauvais, Appalachian Colours, dedicated to her. Folklórica, her debut CD, was released in the fall of 2014. The CD showcases a global classical guitar repertoire that draws inspiration from folk legend and traditional music harmonies.

Rush completed her post-graduate studies at the Hochshule für Musik in Detmold, Germany, following an honours Bachelor of Music degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. She holds faculty appointments at Mohawk College and Redeemer University College in Hamilton, and was an Artist-in-Residence at the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University in the fall of 2016. She has been an invited instructor at music festivals, colleges, and universities around the world including University of Guadalajara, Texas Wesleyan University, University of Louisville, Université de Moncton. She regularly adjudicates music competitions at a local and international level including the Montreal International Guitar Competition in May 2018.

Rush is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Guitar Hamilton concert series that includes the Hamilton International Guitar Festival. She is Associate Director at the Lonestar Guitar Festival in Weatherford, Texas.