Sophia Chen is an 8-year-old musician from San Jose, California, who is already making her mark in the music world. She studies three instruments – piano, violin, and voice – with dedication and passion. Sophia began piano and voice lessons at the age of four and added violin at five. The moment she first picked up the violin, she felt an instant connection, recognizing it as her best friend. Since then, she has dreamed of becoming a violinist when she grows up.
In 2022, Sophia began competing in both local and international music competitions and has already earned numerous awards across all three instruments. She has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City twice, at age 7 and age 8.
Beyond music, Sophia enjoys reading, writing, drawing, swimming, and traveling.
You can find Sophia’s 2023 19th Century Music Competition violin performance here.
Watch Sophia Zhiyao Chen perform Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041 1st Movement by Johann Sebastian Bach on the violin for the 2025 Autumn Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.