Emma Bijelić is a Bosnian-American flutist, composer, and multimedia creative from Rochester, Minnesota, who sees genre as water she can seamlessly move through. Her compositional works span the coast between dark romanticism and colorful contemporary, having been described as “hypnotic,” “aggressively graceful,” and tonally drawing from her “Balkan-folk” roots. Drawing from a rich tapestry of cultural influences, Bijelić weaves together various soundscapes that challenge traditional musical boundaries, inviting listeners on a journey that is as introspective as it is dynamic. Bijelić’s inspiration is often a source of political distress and stories of those who have suffered under the vices of oppression. Her family’s history imbues her music with depth and authenticity as she strives to reflect the struggles and stories that resonate deeply within her own and others’ communities.

Because her work strives to give audiences a lens into an unfamiliar world they may not yet understand, Bijelić often finds herself scoring for visual media or film to evoke even more powerfully persuasive emotions. Her collaborations in this realm have allowed her to explore the interplay of sound and image, creating auditory experiences that enhance narrative depth and emotional connection. Among her strong interests in creating soundtracks to visual media, Bijelić’s other major focus lies in arranging psychedelic rock for ensembles never before witnessed in this genre, sharing the experience of creating an entirely new type of music for musicians who seek more accessible and instantaneously interesting work. This innovative approach not only redefines the genre but also opens up opportunities for collaboration among diverse musicians, fostering a vibrant artistic community. Her most notable work in this genre is her 2024 collaboration with the British group Everything Everything, in which an orchestral arrangement of their song “In Birdsong” was created.

Bijelić is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in both Music Composition and Communications in Film and Media. Her academic journey is complemented by hands-on experiences and performances, allowing her to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application. She has studied flute performance under the artfully acclaimed Dr. Conor Nelson and now studies composition under the first American to win the Berlin Prize, Dr. Laura Elise Schwendinger, both of whom have significantly influenced her artistic development, pushing her to experiment with new ideas and techniques.

Emma has been recognized regionally for her gradual rise in performance, visual works, and internationally for her compositions; in 2025 she was selected to partake in the France Summer Music YXIE program, an extraordinary international music education initiative that provides world-class music education to a cohort of early-stage career composers from all over the globe.