Dr. Emorja Roberson is a multidisciplinary artist whose work exists at the vibrant intersection of sacred music, choral artistry, and Black cultural expression. As a conductor, composer, vocalist, and scholar, he brings a rare versatility to the stage and classroom—where classical form and Black musical traditions speak in dialogue.
Dr. Roberson serves as Assistant Professor of Music and African American Studies at Oxford College of Emory University, where his teaching invites students into a deep engagement with gospel, hip-hop, Black cinematography, world music cultures, and choral practice. He is also the Director of Choral Activities at Georgia Gwinnett College, where he leads ensembles with an ear toward both tradition and transformation.
A proud alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Roberson earned both his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Master of Sacred Music in Vocal Performance. He received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Florida. His academic and artistic research has led to presentations at the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Delta Symposium, among others, where he speaks to the enduring power of the Black sacred tradition and the complexities of musical identity.
As a composer, Dr. Roberson crafts music that is deeply rooted in liturgical storytelling and communal uplift. His works, including "Psalm 84," "Seek Ye First," and "He’ll Be With You," are published by GIA Publications and MorningStar Music, and have been performed in concert halls, sanctuaries, and academic spaces across the country. His commissioned piece, "Joy, It’s on the Way" was premiered alongside Brahms’ Requiem at Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.
His voice, as both singer and cultural commentator, has been heard from Stockholm to St. Louis, from the Hampton Ministers’ Conference to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. He has performed in a wide range of contexts: sacred services, tribute concerts, academic gatherings, and global stages. His recordings and appearances, including BE-SPOKEN, Black Hymnody, and podcasts like Choralosophy and Go Tell It on the Mountain, offer spiritual, social, and sonic insight.
A passionate advocate for the next generation of artists and thinkers, Dr. Roberson mentors students in the Emory SURE program, serves on the executive board of the Hampton Ministers’ Conference Choir Guild, and contributes to research and equity initiatives across Emory and Oxford College. His honors include the James Weldon Johnson Institute Fellowship, the Frazier Thompson Pioneer Award, and the Future of Music Faculty Fellowship.
Whether behind the podium, at the piano, in the pulpit, or in the classroom, Dr. Emorja Roberson’s life in music is a calling—one committed to excellence, truth-telling, and the transformative power of the Black sacred sound.
If you fail to try, you forfeit the opportunity to see your strength. If you forfeit to test your strength, you fail to grow. If you fail to grow, you will never experience the full capacity of your talent. - Emorja G. Roberson