sophiamckett
| Forum role | Member since | Last activity | Topics created | Replies created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Jan 28, 2012 (14 years) |
- | 1 | 0 |
- Forum role
- Member
- Member since
Jan 28, 2012 (14 years)
- Last activity
- -
- Topics created
- 1
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Bio
Sophia McKett is of mixed parentage and, being half Russian, quarter Sri Lankan, quarter English, has had exposure to the music and cultures of both East and West. She began music studies at the age of 6 and gave her first piano recital at the age of 11 at the Russian Cultural Centre in Colombo. Further studies continued at the Gnessin Academy of Music, Moscow, whose alumni include the famous pianist Evgeny Kissin and conductor Evgeny Svethlanov. There she was trained by professors Margarita Volkova, Leonid Block and Victor Vlasov. During her six years in Moscow Sophia actively participated in Academy concerts performing both in chamber ensembles and solo. In 1998 she gained a Master’s in Music and went on to perform in numerous concerts both in Russia and in Sri Lanka, where she appeared as soloist with the Sri Lanka Symphony Orchestra playing Mozart’s concerto No.23 in A major. In 1999 Sophia completed the master classes of renowned pianist Vitaly Margulis in Freiburg, Germany.
Sophia has been living in Bristol since 1999 and has given many recitals locally in venues such as the Bristol Cathedral, St. Mary Redcliff’s, Clevedon Music Society and the Bristol Music Club. She has also performed at the prestigious St.George’s Concert Hall as a participant of a master class given by Mikhail Kazakevich in May 2000. Sophia has regularly accompanied mezzo soprano Caroline MacPhie (Countess of Munster Trust scholarship winner) and has an on going piano duo partnership with pianist Giuseppe Bavetta. More recently Sophia has worked as an accompanist at the well known Aberystwyth Music Festival in Wales. Her most recent project is the formation of the Sonacri Piano Trio with violinist Naomi Rump and cellist Chris Greenhalgh.
Sophia teaches at a specialist music school, - the Wells Cathedral School, and Badminton School where she occasionally accompanies students at their exams. Sophia also has a successful private teaching studio with many prize winning pupils.