Instructor of Cello, Violin, and Piano
Sonja is a professional violinist, strings educator, and music scholar from Michigan, currently based in Greeley, Colorado. She is pursuing a Doctor of Arts degree in Violin Performance at the University of Northern Colorado, with a secondary concentration in Music Business. At UNC, she serves as a graduate teaching assistant for Dr. Sarah Off, performs as concertmaster of the UNC Symphony Orchestra, and is an active founding member of several chamber ensembles, including the Artio Piano Trio and the UNC String Quartet. She also performs regularly with regional orchestras, including the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra and the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra.
Sonja holds two Master’s degrees from Arizona State University, one in Violin Performance (2023) and another in Violin Performance Pedagogy (2021), where she studied under Professor Danwen Jiang. During her time at ASU, she played in both the ASU Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, and held the role of orchestra librarian for the ASU Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia, and Studio Orchestra (2021-2023). In addition to her musical training, Sonja has an academic background in psychology, with a Master of Science (2017) and a Bachelor of Science (2014) from Northern Michigan University. As a graduate student at NMU, she specialized in cognitive psychology with a focus on music cognition and perception research.
Sonja approaches each student as an individual, providing a learning experience tailored to their unique needs and goals. She strives to guide students along the best possible path for developing their musical and technical skills, while also nurturing their intellectual and emotional growth as learners and performers. Her teaching emphasizes creativity, communication, and listening skills, along with a strong foundation in music history, theory, and the connections between music, the body, and the mind. Through this holistic approach, Sonja helps students build the confidence to perform, form meaningful musical relationships, and ultimately become independent musicians capable of teaching themselves. She fosters a supportive, caring, and nurturing environment where students feel capable, comfortable, and heard. Inspired by a deep personal love of music, Sonja seeks to ignite that same passion in every student she teaches.