Canadian violinist Sophia Anna Szokolay has performed across Canada, the United States and Europe as a recitalist and chamber musician. She is a Doctoral Candidate at the New England Conservatory and Chamber Music Faculty at NEC’s Preparatory School.

This year, Sophia was featured on WGBH live public radio, she joined Palaver Strings on their album release tour Ready or Not, and led the Lucerne Contemporary Festival Orchestra as concertmaster. This summer, she worked with composers Hans Abrahamsen, Thomas Adès, Dieter Ammann, Shulamit Ran, Wolfgang Rihm, Tyshawn Sorey, and Lewis Spratlan.

As a soloist , Sophia has performed with A Far Cry, the Etobicoke Philharmonic, Győr Philharmonic, Narragansett Bay Symphony, Scarborough Philharmonic, and Toronto Sinfonietta. Equally at home with chamber and orchestral repertoire, Sophia plays with the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, Juventas New Music Ensemble, and Phoenix Chamber Orchestra. Her love of new music has previously led to work with composers Brett Dean, John Heiss, David Ludwig, James MacMillan, and Jörg Widmann. In 2021 she gave the North American premiere of Widmann’s String Quartet No. 7.

Sophia held Teaching and Community Engagement Fellowships at The Juilliard School where she worked with violin and music theory students at Opportunity Music Project and at Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School. In 2020, she performed online for ICU Covid-19 patients and their families across the United States with Project: Music Heals Us, she curated an online Music and Movement class for toddlers and led music appreciation workshops at Lenox Hill Women’s Shelter.

Sophia received her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory with a Minor in Music Theory, and her Master’s Degree from Juilliard. Her teachers include Catherine Cho, Miriam Fried, and Donald Weilerstein.

Sophia’s passions also include photography and running. She recently completed the 2022 TCS Toronto Marathon in 3 hours and 27 minutes, qualifying her for the 2024 Boston Marathon.