Sofia Sousa
Sofia Silva Sousa is a Portuguese viola player. She is a First Class Honours graduate from the Royal Academy of Music (2018) where she studied with James Sleigh and Martin Outram and she completed her Masters degree at the Royal College of Music, studying with Nathan Braude, kindly supported by the Frederick Johnston Scholarship. She is an Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel since 2018 under the guidance of Miguel da Silva, where she is the recipient of a very generous scholarship from an anonymous donor. Sofia has had her solo debut concerto with the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra in 2016 after winning the Vasco Barbosa 2nd String Competition in Portugal. In 2018 she also played with the Orquestra Gulbenkian, having been awarded the first prize in the Prémio Jovens Músicos (the young musicians’ prize), as well as Prémio Maestro Silva Pereira (Portuguese Young Musician of the Year). In July 2019 the Tejo String Quartet, of which Sofia is a member, was awarded the first prize in the chamber music category of that same Prize. As well as her dedication to chamber music playing and to some solo commitments in Portugal, Sofia is now a member of the London Symphony Orchestra.