Sophia Tian was born in the hometown of Confucius in China. She graduated from the Shanghai Institute of Tourism and lived in Shanghai for about nine years before moving to France to pursue a Master’s degree in Tourism Management. In 2001, she relocated to the United States. Over the years, in addition to managing a business, she earned two Master’s degrees—an MBA and an MPA—as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Music (BA) from Augusta University.
Ms. Tian studied vocal performance as a soprano under the guidance of Dr. Linda Banister. The arias she worked on included pieces in Italian, French, German, English, Latin, and other languages. She successfully completed two solo concerts and regularly participated in local cultural and Chinese community events, performing a variety of Eastern and Western music. Additionally, she competed in the NAT’s Voice Competition, where she earned third place in her vocal category.
Ms. Tian is an active member of the Augusta Chinese Christian Church, where she serves as the conductor of the church choir. She has composed over 20 Chinese gospel songs for the choir, which are sung regularly during the church’s annual evangelistic events and services. Ms. Tian is also a member of both the Columbia County Choral Society and the Augusta Choral Society, and has been invited to perform solo in their choir concerts. Passionate about music education, she coaches the church choir and is an engaged board member of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the world-renowned soprano Jessye Norman. The school’s mission is to provide free art classes to disadvantaged children.
Ms. Tian is currently focused on refining her vocal skills and learning new arias. At the same time, she teaches vocal classes and conducts research in music and sound therapy. She previously worked in the Special Events office of the Augusta Recreation and Parks Department, where she helped organize public events such as concerts and festivals. Currently, she works with the city’s Finance Department. Ms. Tian is passionate about fostering mutual understanding between Eastern and Western cultures, particularly in the realm of music.