Meeting Manitoba’s environmental musician

I wasn’t expecting to stumble across a concert in the trees. But one sunny afternoon, while out for a bike ride in St. Vital Park in Winnipeg with my 10-year-old stepdaughter Arailia, we heard music drifting across the duck pond.

Following the sound, we spotted a young woman standing among the trees, singing and strumming a guitar. Her case was open for tips like a busker’s, but there was no real crowd, just her music drifting into the open sky.

“Who is that?” Arailia asked, already tugging me toward the music.

That’s how we met Emily Thoroski, better known as The Environmental Musician.

After we wandered over, Thoroski chatted with us for a bit and then, in what felt like a private mini-concert, sang her song “Manitoba: Everything You Need.”

She later explained that she wrote it in 2020 as part of a Manitoba 150 celebration. “I interviewed local wildlife biologists about what makes Manitoba important, then turned it into a song.

The diversity here, prairies, wetlands, forests, is incredible.”

Thoroski isn’t just any performer.

She’s a trained biologist with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s in environment, and is using her guitar to bridge two worlds that rarely overlap: music and environmental education.

“I took guitar classes from grade five to 12 and loved songwriting,” she said. “After spending 10 years in university learning about all the problems with the environment, I realized we needed to get more communication out there — but in a positive way. Music felt like the perfect medium.”

For the past two years, Thoroski has run her own business, taking her message straight into schools. She works mostly with grades four and five, leading two-day workshops where kids brainstorm environmental topics, write lyrics and chords, and finally perform their own songs.

“It’s amazing what they come up with,” she said. “They know about recycling, composting, the importance of birds, all of it. They give me so much hope for the future.”

Her first environmental song, We Decide, was born from a university project where she interviewed wildlife biologists and turned their answers into music.

On Earth Day this past spring, Thoroski and her student collaborators performed on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature, singing for politicians and proud parents.

Outside of schools, she performs throughout Winnipeg as part of the Canadian Musicians Cooperative, with gigs lined up at Assiniboine Park Zoo and various parks across the city. She also shares her music online through her YouTube channel.

“It’s not about preaching,” Thoroski said. “I accept everyone where they’re at. I share my beliefs and listen to theirs. Music is a safe way to start those conversations.”

She’s also found creative ways to give back. She often donates up to 100% of her tips to organizations like Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and Blackbird Rescue. She even trained for three months to participate in a charity boxing event to raise money for a family recovery centre.

“I got punched in the face a lot,” she laughed. “I lost 20 pounds, but it was so worth it. You learn a lot about yourself when you push past your comfort zone.”

Looking ahead, she’s working on a new website to help schools and communities connect with her programs. She’s also collaborating on a new song called “Eyes of the Wolf,” co-written with an 83-year-old wildlife biologist and inspired by their shared passion for wildlife conservation.

When I asked what working with kids has taught her most, she paused for a moment before smiling.

“Don’t take life too seriously,” she said. “Adults are often so stressed. Kids remind me to have fun, even when we’re talking about serious stuff. There’s so much joy in what they do and that energy is contagious.”

That joy shines through in everything Thoroski does, including a recent Instagram post where she wrote, “Just sitting here under a tree dancing, cause why not!? Nature and music really is my life.”