Praised for her “richly expressive, technically secure, and tonally lustrous” playing, violinist Sophia Steger (b. 1999) enjoys a varied performance schedule in the U.S. and Europe.  She has performed as soloist with ensembles including the New York Chamber Players, New York International Chamber Orchestra, New York Concerti Sinfonietta, Manhattan School of Music Precollege Symphony, Orchestra dell’Accademia Cervo, and the Aizuri Quartet, and has been recognized in numerous competitions, including with the first prize at the Adelphi Young Artist Competition in New York.  As a chamber musician, Sophia has performed with artists such as Catherine Cho, Konstantin Heidrich, Nicholas Kitchen, Emilia Goch Salvador, Emanuel Salvador, Daniel Stabrawa, Vasko Vassilev, Andriy Viytovych, and the Kronos Quartet.  Her chamber ensembles have received guidance from members of the Brentano, Emerson, Juilliard, Kronos, and Shanghai Quartets, performed at Hilary Hahn’s CD release event for In 27 Pieces by invitation of Nico Muhly, and have given world premieres, including of works by Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen and Louis Pelosi.  In orchestral settings, she has played under Thomas Adès, Marin Alsop, Alan Gilbert, Barbara Hannigan, David Robertson and Michael Tilson Thomas.  Sophia performs at festivals across the US, Europe and Asia, in recent years including the Aspen Music Festival, Guimarães Classico (Portugal), Heifetz International Music Institute, International Mendelssohn Festival (Germany), Polish Rising Music Stars, Szczecin Classic (Poland), in masterclasses at the Kronberg Academy (Germany) and in performances as a junior faculty member at the Vivace Music Foundation. She has played at venues such as Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, (Stern Auditorium, Zankel and Weill Recital Halls) David Geffen Hall, WQXR’s The Greene Space, Merkin Hall (The Kaufman Center), and the Szczecin Philharmonic Hall. 

  Sophia frequently connects her music-making with environmental protection and community engagement, having co-founded the Juilliard Green Club and partnered with 350NYC, Project Music Heals Us, Yale Sustainability, and multiple branches of the New York Public Libraries, among other projects.  She was also recently featured in Yamaha's documentary, The Sound of Us, and in an interview-performance series hosted by mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard. 

  Sophia began music lessons at the age of four after hearing local classical music concerts and pretending to play the violin on a toy ukulele, and as her parents felt it would help her build a sense of identity away from complex health challenges she faced at the time.  At the age of eight, Sophia was accepted to study violin with Patinka Kopec and piano with Nina Svetlanova at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, where she was awarded yearly performance scholarships.  

Sophia is a graduate of The Juilliard School (BM'21) and Yale School of Music (MM'23), where she studied with Catherine Cho and Ani Kavafian.