About me

 

Sophia's passion for singing started as a child attending a lively baptist church in West London. Although her outlook now encompasses a wider, predominantly Earth-based, spirituality, she continues to feels a deep connection and gratitude to Gospel music. Her family inspired an eclectic range of music and singing was part of her family life.  

 

"I remember long car journeys with my family listening to super eclectic music, from Cat Stevens, to Johnny Cash, Traditional Greek Music and Enya!" 

 

At Camden School for Girls, her music teacher - Mr Catlow - inspired in her a deep love of harmony, and she sang for many years in the school choir. 

 

As a teenager she began to attend alternative camps and festivals which offered her another experience of group singing grounded in love for the earth and the elements. 

 

In her early twenties she came across a workshop at Sunrise Festival with Chandra Mathers - a singing facilitator and member of the Natural Voice Network. This was the workshop that inspired the start of her journey as a singing facilitator. She led her first workshop at Dance Camp East in 2007. 

 

In 2009 she spent a year as a Music Animateur apprentice with Spitalfields Music where she was mentored by the formidable choir leader Laka D. She set up her first choir - Hackney Harmony - in 2010, and went on to guest lead for a number of other London choirs including SOAS World Music Choir and St Etherlburgas.

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From 2010-2012 she studied at Goldsmiths for her certificate in Music Workshop skills, which inspired and prepared her for teaching primary music and also leading workshops with a range of different groups including special behavioural and educational needs, refugees and asylum seekers. 

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She taught music in a number of primary schools around East London until she moved to Lewes in 2014. This was the birth of Zu Choir. 

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In 2015 she co-founded Harmony Live with Dominic Stichbury, Janna Goodwille and Michael Carlyon.

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She teaches singing workshops across the UK and singing holidays/retreats in the UK, Germany, Turkey and Morocco. Since March 2020 she has begun to offer her workshops online. 

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She has a unique and infectious style, bringing a sweet balance of humour and depth to her workshops. Her warm and playful nature creates a sense of ease and unity, enabling everyone to drop into a space that is both held and free.

 

Her own dance and movement practices naturally inform her leadership style, helping to bring the voice back into the body where it belongs. She collects and teaches songs from different cultures and traditions from around the world, leading harmony singing workshops with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to bring out the natural voice and reinforce our innate human ability to make music.

 

Her singing workshops are soul inspiring, heart warming and empowering, creating a sense of euphoria and connection for everyone involved.

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Training and experience

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2004 - 2006 HND Complementary Healthcare, University of Brighton

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2008 - 2009 Music Animateur Apprenticeship, Spitalfields Music

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2010 - 2011 Certificate in Music Workshop Skills, Goldsmiths University

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2010 ongoing Hackney Harmony Community Choir

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2010 - 2015  Music teacher and Choir leader in Primary Education
 

2011 - 2012 Choral Music Experience certificate

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2014 ongoing Zu Choir Community Choir

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2015 Vocal Process "Inside the Singing Voice" training

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2015 TEDX talk Singing Ourselves Home

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2015 - 2020 Co-founder of London Harmony Live

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2015 ongoing Personal practice in embodied movement, ceremony and nature connection with Denise Rowe (Earth Dances)

 

2016 ongoing Music and vocal accompaniment for Denise Rowe

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2017 Thai Yoga Fusion Massage qualification

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2019 Vocal improvisation year long training with Briony Greenhill

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2021-2022 Diploma in Holistic Voice Therapy with the British Academy of Sound Therapy

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