Emilia Mettenbrink
Emilia Mettenbrink, a violinist, is a rotating Principal Second Violin of the Sphinx Virtuosi and a member of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra. In addition to her work with the Opera and Sphinx Virtuosi, she plays often with both the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra. A Minneapolis native, Emilia began violin studies at the age of three and won the Minnesota Sinfonia Young Artist Competition at the age of nine. She went on to study violin performance with Paul Kantor at the University of Michigan and received a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with David Perry. While in Madison Emilia served as the Assistant Concertmaster for the Madison Symphony Orchestra as well as playing for the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. She received her orchestral training with the New World Symphony Orchestra in Miami Beach, FL as a rotating section leader and soloist. Emilia has a love for chamber music and enjoys dividing her time between large and small ensemble performance opportunities. Her summer endeavors have included chamber opera performances with the Mill City Summer Opera, orchestral performances with the Lakes Area Music Festival, and broadway shows. During the pandemic in 2020, Emilia began a concert series from her balcony in St Paul, Minnesota. She loves connecting with audience members, offering notes from the stage, and features both solo violin works and collaborations with dancers and other local Twin Cities artists. tinybalconyConcerts will finish its 3rd summer season just before Emilia’s arrival at Chautauqua.