Santa Clara University

Phone: 408-554-4428

Fax: 408-554-2171

Emily Ray

Adjunct Faculty

Emily Ray began her musical studies at the age of 7 when she began taking piano lessons, and later studied the violin. Participating in numerous recitals and performing groups, she continued her study of music in college, receiving a Master of Arts degree in Music History and Literature from California State University at Hayward after graduating with highest honors from the University of California, Berkeley. She studied conducting with Michael Senturia and Denis deCoteau and made her conducting debut with the University Symphony in May, 1975 in Hayward.

While raising a family, she continued her musical career by performing as a pianist and violinist with several orchestras. She also formed and conducted the semi-professional Lo Sospiro Ensemble while serving as assistant conductor with the Hayward Area Symphony. Later she held various conducting positions with youth, community, and college instrumental and vocal ensembles, and served as music director of the Nova Vista Symphony for 15 years. Throughout her career she has promoted and premiered the works of several Bay Area composers, as well as those of composers living in other parts of the U.S., and in England.

In 1996 Ms. Ray formed the Mission Chamber Orchestra and has continuously served as Music Director. During the orchestra’s second season, Ms. Ray and the orchestra recorded a compact disc, "Dreams", which received airplay by radio stations locally and around the country. A second disc, "Reflections on the Hudson", was recorded and released in 2000. It is a part of Arizona University Recordings’ Contemporary Composers Series, as it contains the orchestral works of Palo Alto composer Nancy Bloomer Deussen. In Feb., 2003 Ms. Ray and the Mission Chamber Orchestra premiered a cantata written by internationally recognized composer Craig Bohmler for San Jose, California, and her seven sister cities.

In the fall of 2001 Ms. Ray joined the faculty of Santa Clara University, where she conducts the University Symphony Orchestra. She is also active as a guest conductor, most recently with the Mississippi Symphony (Jackson, MI) and Winchester Orchestra of San Jose, and is on the faculty of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.