Teaching Areas
Violin
Suzuki
Education
MM Western Michigan University
BM DePaul University
About
Violinist Sophie Petroski is an active performer and dedicated instructor with over a decade of teaching experience. She has performed in regional symphonies including the Chicago Philharmonic, Battle Creek Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Southwest Michigan Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, and West Michigan Symphony.
Sophie has experience teaching all ages and levels of students, from young students receiving their very first lesson, to high school students preparing for college auditions. Her students have often been selected to perform in showcase recitals.
During the summer, Sophie works for the Sun Valley Music Festival in Idaho as part of the Summer Music Student Institute. She has performed in orchestras for theater productions in Chicago as well as across the state of Michigan. Previously, Sophie has participated in summer music festivals in Italy, Mexico, and throughout the United States, including the Meadowmount School of Music in New York. In 2013, she was selected to perform in a masterclass for Midori.
As an advocate for music education, Sophie enjoys working with young people from all walks of life. In the summer of 2023, she coached students in the El Sistema-inspired National Seminario Program at Ravinia through the Chicago Philharmonic.
Sophie received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, summa cum laude, from DePaul University, where she studied with Professor Janet Sung. She received her Master of Music in Violin Performance from Western Michigan University, as the violin graduate assistant of Professor Renata Knific. During her time as a graduate assistant, she taught applied lessons to violin undergraduates. As a part-time faculty member at Western Michigan University, she taught Strings Methods for Education Majors.
Sophie has completed Suzuki violin training through Book 5 and is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA). She believes in the importance of a good foundation and strong technical set-up for students. Her most important goals are seeing her students’ growth and their enjoyment of music.