Sophia Anastasia is a premier concert flutist in the New York area, demonstrating her talents as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral flutist. Her recently earned Doctoral degree makes her a much sought-after flute teacher.
She has received a growing number of
accolades from internationally renowned flutists, orchestra directors,
audiences, music professors, and students. Ms. Anastasia made her solo
debut in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1999, as an Artists International
competition winner and since then has been heard on live broadcasts,
on recordings and on the concert stage.
Captivating Solo Performances
…highly polished and refined, her
interpretation very tasteful and classy. She plays with a wonderful
sense of line and fluidity, paying most careful attention to the musical
phrase. She is a superb musician with a wonderful sense of timing,
a flawless technique, and a captivating aura.
- Linda Chesis, Concert Flutist
In every way Ms. Anastasia has proven to be an outstanding musician, a beautifully expressive flutist, a stellar professional and colleague, and one who will impact the music professions for all she has to offer. Her flute playing is outstanding. She has a beautiful, clear sonority and an impressive technique. She is an imaginative programmer with a captivating and beautiful stage presence.
- Carol Wincenc, Concert Flutist
As a musician, she becomes deeply involved with the interpretation of the music, developing her personal style from an analysis of the emotional, theoretical, and musical content of a work. With this, her performances transcend the act of playing into a musical expression of the finest art. Her recitals are renowned for their creative and eclectic repertoire, as she is always looking for new or obscure pieces to perform. Praised by audiences of all ages who have called her recitals "both entertaining, exciting, and informative" her carefully planned concerts bring continuity and a thematic presence to the evening. She collaborates regularly with guitar, violin, cello, and percussion, presenting a colorful array of sights and sounds.
Solo New York performance venues include Weill Recital Hall, CAMI Hall, Riverside Church, the Lighthouse, Trinity church, and Merkin Concert Hall. She has also been heard at Chicago's Cultural Center, and Union Congregational Church in Montclair, New Jersey.
Significant Solo Performances
Ms. Anastasia performed her debut recital in New York at Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall in May 1999 as a winner of the Artists International competition. Other prominent performances include a recital with the Shanghai String Quartet at the Tree Tops Chamber Music Series, a performance of Vivaldi's Piccolo Concerto in C with the Montclair Chamber Ensemble, a chamber music concert at the Cooperstown Chamber Music Festival with flutist Linda Chesis, a solo performance with the Orchestra of the Bronx, a solo performance at Merkin Concert Hall of the music of Jed Feuer, a performance of Arthur Foote's "A Night Piece," a performance of Bach's B Minor Suite with the Montclair Chamber Orchestra and a solo performance at the Trinity Church in New York, as part of their Concerts at One music series. In addition, she has performed a solo recital at the Chicago Cultural Center in as part of the International Music Foundation's Dame Myra Hess Concert Series. The concert was broadcast live on the national classical station WFMT and on the Internet at www.intlmusicfoundation.org. Ms. Anastasia performed her newly commissioned work Xynoglyko by Gary Schocker at the National Flute Association Convention in Washington, DC in August of 2002. During that same month she was featured once again on Chicago's WFMT radio in an interview about her new CD, Musing and the various commissioned pieces on the disc.
Orchestral Affiliations
• Symphony in C
• Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas
• Montclair Chamber Orchestra
• Bronx Opera Orchestra
• The Orchestra of the Bronx
• Harmonia Opera Company
• The School of American Ballet, Lincoln Center
• The Westfield Symphony
Orchestral performances have taken her to concert stages such as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Meyerson Hall of the Dallas Symphony, the Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, Town Hall, as well as the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall in Philadelphia.
Chamber Music Affiliations & Festivals
Tree Tops Chamber Music Series, Greenwich, CT
Orchestral Music Festivals
Competitions
Doctoral Work
Lecture Recital
"Music as Narration." Exploring the flute and guitar works of
Joan Tower, Toru Takemitsu, Robert Beaser, and Gary Schocker and how these
works create a musical narrative.
Doctoral Thesis
"The JS Bach Partita in A Minor, Allemande." A complete analysis
of its history, phrase structure, musical patterns, tonality, key, and
motivic development.
Final Recital/Comprehensive
Oral Lecture/Examination
"Reinecke Concerto, Foss Renaissance Concerto, Beethoven Trio op.
41." A complete and thorough analysis of these three pieces including
a study of performance practice, history, various publications and a comparison
of these editions, phrase structure, key, and musical shape and style.
Music History Doctoral Paper
"Monteverdi and Musical Instruments." A detailed look at the
music of Claudio Monteverdi with a specific analysis towards his use of
musical instruments; how he implemented certain instruments into his works,
why he might have done so, and what effect, musically, or emotionally,
they produce on his music.
Education
Doctorate of Musical Arts in Flute Performance,
May 2005
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Flute studies with Carol Wincenc
Professional Studies Certificate in Flute
Performance, May 2000
Manhattan School of Music
Flute studies with Linda Chesis
Master of Music in Flute Performance,
May 1999
Manhattan School of Music
Flute studies with Linda Chesis
Bachelor of Arts in both Music Education and
Flute Performance, May 1997
Montclair State University
Flute studies with Peggy Schecter
Teacher Certification, New York and New
Jersey K-12, May 1997
Montclair State University
Education studies with Dr. Lisa DeLorenzo
Master Classes and Coachings: Gary Schocker, Julius Baker, Emmanuel Pahud, Alain Marion, Jeanne Baxtresser, Sandra Church, Robert Dick, Jeffrey Khaner, Keith Underwood, and Elizabeth Mann.
Professional Affiliations
Symphony in C, www.SymphonyinC.org
Bronx Orchestra and Opera, www.BronxOrchestra.org
Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, www.POAmericas.org
Montclair State Prep Division, www.musicmontclair.com
Stokes Music Camp, www.StokesMusicCamp.com
Jeff Weissman, www.JBWFlutes.com
James Romig, www.JamesRomig.com
Shanghai Quartet, www.ShanghaiQuartet.com
Christian McLeer, www.mcleer.8m.com
Joe Patrych Sound Studios, www.Patrych.com
National Flute Association, www.NFAonline.org
Flute World, www.FluteWorld.com
Classical Lounge, www.ClassicalLounge.com