Artist Profile

Sofia Schutte

Sofia Schutte was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1997 and started her violin studies at the age of 5 at the Emil Friedman Conservatory with Ivan Perez. Her family moved to San Jose, Costa Rica at the age of 12, where she continued her violin studies both at the National Center for Music of Costa Rica and the Pre-College Division of the University of Costa Rica with Caterina Tellini.

At age 16, Sofia moved to Minnesota to continue her violin studies at Shattuck St. Mary’s Pre- Conservatory Program, studying with Sally O’Reilly with whom she continues to study while pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance at the University of Minnesota. Sofia has participated in programs and festivals such as Interlochen Arts Camp, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Pienza Music Festival in Italy, Virtuoso & Belcanto and Bowdoin Chamber Music Festival. Among the awards that Sofia has collected over the years are, American Protégé Concerto Competition, Young Soloists of Costa Rica where she got the opportunity to play with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica under the direction of Carl St. Clair, the University of Costa Rica Concerto Competition, also playing with the University of Costa Rica’s Symphony Orchestra, Thursday Musical Scholarship Competition (High School and College Division prizewinner), Schubert Club Scholarship Competition, and Mary West Solo Competition Division Winner.

As a result, Sofia has played in venues across the US, Costa Rica, and Italy such as the Melico Salazar Theatre, the National Theatre of Costa Rica, New Hall Auditorium, and Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall. In recent years, Sofia has been invited to play as section violinist with the Latin Grammy winner orchestra, The Heredia Symphony Orchestra, the University of Costa Rica’s Symphony Orchestra.