Emma Pennell is a trailblazing operatic soprano and poet with Mi’kmaw of Ktaqmkuk (Indigenous peoples of Newfoundland) roots. Hailing from the village of South River in rural Northern Ontario. Emma recently took home 2nd prize in the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio Centre Stage Competition. They also have a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Voice Performance and a minor in Indigenous Studies from Western University. 

They trained under esteemed mentors, Pamela Teed at the Cambrian College School of Music, Torin Chiles at Western University, Adrianne Pieczonka, then later Stephanie Bogle at The Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

Emma is an unwavering Indigenous activist whose work in the arts carves spaces for Indigenous voices in music. They have made a significant impact through foundational advocacy, including co-authoring the Indigenous Policy Paper for the Ontario Universities Student Alliance and founding the Faculty of Music Indigenous Leadership Initiative at the Don Wright Faculty of Music. 

Emma previously took to the stage in roles such as Miss Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff, starring alongside Canadian Baritone Ted Baerg, The Skater in Ka Nin Chan’s Ice Time at The Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory of Music, on the main stage of Koerner Hall as Mére Marie in Poulenc’s Dialogue des Carmelites, and Lia in Debussy's L'Enfant Prodigue in at The Royal Conservatory. Emma recently completed an artist residency at The Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity, where they workshopped the roles of Kitty and Bernie in Ian Cusson and Royce Vavrek’s new Opera Indians on Vacation. Emma recently made their debut at Koerner Hall alongside renowned throat singer Tanya Tegaq to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Emma is in their second year of the Artist Diploma Program in the voice department at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music.