Emily Bear is 9 years old and began piano studies at the age of five with Emilio del Rosario at The Music Institute of Chicago. She currently studies classical piano with Mary Sauer, Principal Keyboardist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and jazz improvisation with Alan Swain. Additional mentors include Yoheved Kaplinsky, head of the Juilliard Piano Department and Frank Kimbrough for Jazz, also at Juilliard. Emily is equally comfortable playing jazz, classical, or her own compositions.

Emily made her professional debut performing a solo concert at the Ravinia Music Festival in July of 2007, when she was five years old. She played a solo 40 minute program mixing classical, jazz, and her own pieces. She is the youngest performer in Ravinia’s more than 100 year history. She was asked back to perform solo concerts in 2008 and 2009 as well.

She most recently made her Carnegie Hall, debut, performing original music solo, and with orchestra, including the world premiere of her composition, "Peace - we are the future" performed onstage with 110 piece orchestra, 220 member chorus, R&B soloists and Emily on piano.