Emily Thornton is a proud First Nations flutist of Biripi ancestry, living and creating on Ngunnawal Country. A graduate of the Conservatorium High School in Sydney, she is now studying flute with Sally Walker at the Australian National University, where she is the recipient of the Friends of the ANU School of Music Performance Scholarship. In 2025, she is a Canberra Symphony Orchestra Kingsland Fellow. Her work is grounded in cultural revitalisation and community connection.

As a classically trained musician, Emily has performed across early music, contemporary, and classical genres, including appearances with the Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, and Royal Military College Duntroon Band. She has also played principal flute in the NSW Combined Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Schools Spectacular Orchestra. Emily’s teaching and facilitation work, from instrumental lessons to festival workshops, reflects her commitment to fostering creativity and inclusivity. She is a passionate advocate for community arts collaborations, and her artistic vision is rooted in cultural preservation and a belief in music’s power to connect, heal, and inspire.

Beyond performance, Emily is also an arts journalist, with work published in Canberra City News. Her writing explores the intersections of music, culture, and identity, amplifying diverse artistic voices.

For Emily, music is more than sound; it’s a form of magic that connects people to culture, to land, and to each other. She believes music has the power to heal, transform, and breathe life into stories untold.