Biography

Emma Ford is a talented and versatile drummer that has made a name for herself in both Australia and the United States.

Notably, in 2021, Emma was recognized as the first woman in the world to play drums for the worldwide smash hit musical; Hamilton. She then went on to perform on stage as the drummer for Alanis Morissette’s Tony and Grammy Award winning musical, Jagged Little Pill (Australia).

In 2022, Emma earned her first Broadway chair as the drummer for the Tony Award Winning Musical, Paradise Square. She then continued her Broadway success as the drummer for the 2023 Grammy Nominated and Tony Award Winning Broadway Musical, Shucked.

In 2014, After graduating University with a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Emma pursued her passion for musical theatre, performing in multiple productions in Sydney and Asia. Some highlights include playing drums for In The Heights for its sell-out season at the Sydney Opera House, as well as touring both nationally and internationally with ‘The Illusionists 1903’.

Throughout her career in Australia, Emma’s talents as a drummer and percussionist were recognized through various awards, including the Jann Rutherford Memorial Mentorship Award from the Sydney Improvised Music Association’s ‘Women in Jazz’ Program and the 2016 winner of the Rob Guest Endowment Theatre Musicians Award. 

Since moving to New York in July 2018 at the age of 25, Emma quickly established herself in the Broadway scene and began working on Broadway, subbing on shows including Come From Away, Head Over Heels, Tootsie, Jagged Little Pill, Almost Famous, Moulin Rouge and Six. She has also performed alongside talents such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ariana DeBose, Boy George, Melissa McCarthy, Stephen Schwartz, Kelli O’Hara, Mandy Gonzalez, Javier Munoz and Aaron Tveit. 

Emma has performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert and has played Drums and Percussion as a member of ‘The Broadway Sinfonietta’ for the Live Orchestra World Premiere’s of Spider-man: Into The Spider-Verse, Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse and Cowboy Bebop.

Emma proudly endorses Vic Firth Sticks and Sabian Cymbals.