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Sofia PeychevasopranoSoprano Sofia Peycheva began singing at he age of 7 as a chorister in the children's choir. Later she completed Grade Eight in Voice at the Royal Conservatory of Music with First Class Honours (2006) and received Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours in Music from York University in 2010. Sofia also holds a Master Degree in Classical Singing from National Music Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria (2015).
In addition to her formal training where she studied voice under the guidance of Stephanie Bogle (York University) and Mila Dyulgerova (NMA), Sofia has received vocal training at the studio of Narelle Martinez (soprano), Matilda Pinkas (soprano) and Emilia Boteva (mezzo-soprano). She has worked with various vocal coaches throughout the years, among them are Adolfo De Santis, Natalie Zahorbinsky, Raisa Nakhmanovich, Narmina Afandiyeva, Boryana Lambreva and Luke Housner (TSOW). Other training include French Music Interpretation Masterclass given by Olivier Daurait, vocal coach from Conservatoire de Paris, Opera Masterclass with Maestro Alvaro Gutierrez and a 10 Day Intensive with Opera NUOVA that included a series of Vocal Masterclasses with Dominique Labelle and Kimberly Barber and Acting Masterclass with Tom Diamond. Sofia's operatic engagements include Serpina in La Serva Padrona with Toronto Vocal Studio, Second Wood Sprite in Rusalka with Toronto Summer Opera Workshop, Frasquita in Carmen with Three Seven Ace Opera Company, Second Lady in The Magic Flute with TSOW, Tatiana in the excerpts of Eugene Onegin at the National Music Academy, Rosalinda in the excerpts of Die Fledermaus at York University, and Mother in Hansel and Gretel at York University. Among her concert solo appearances are: concert with Opera For All at the Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts, operatic concerts with Sinfonietta Sofia, under the baton of Maestro Pavlov and with NMA Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Varadinov, L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Toronto), Opera Friends Reunion (Toronto), Song Cycles at the Czech Centre (Sofia), solo recitals at Bernard Betel Centre (Toronto), Russian Cultural Centre (Sofia), Amazing Cat Literature Club (Toronto), Classical Piano Centre (Toronto). Throughout the years Sofia has participated in numerous competitions. At the age of 16 she received a Recognition Diploma from the Union of Russian Composers in Chelyabinsk, Russia. While a student at York she received Sterling Beckwith Award and the Dean’s Prize for Excellence. In 2014 Sofia became a finalist and a recipient of a Special Award of the III International Vocal competition "Balkan Romansiada" in Bulgaria. Her choral experience include participation in the York Concert Choir while a student at York and two seasons with Royal Opera Canada choir, where as a choir member she performed in both staged and concert setting productions of Nabucco, Magic Flute, Aida, La Traviata, Pagliacci, Cavaleria Rusticana, Eugene Onegin, and Madama Butterfly. In addition to her singing career, Sofia has established herself as a voice teacher specializing in teaching children and amateur adults. After teaching in various music schools, such as Lornewood School of Music (2009-2010), Harmony School of Music and Art (2010-2011), Ontario Conservatory of Music (2009-2013), Judy's School of Music (2016-2018) she has founded her own vocal studio in Etobicoke in 2015, where she is passing her knowledge and passion for music to students of all ages. Her students received awards from many local competitions, such as Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival, Peel Music Festival, North York Music Festival, Hamilton Music Festival, Niagara Festival of Performing Arts, Oakville Vocal Festival, ORMTA Branch Competition, NATS Showcase. Her students became finalists, winners and scholarship recipients at the OMFA Provincial level, received RCM gold medals and were accepted to music programs of their choices. Sofia is a Certified RCM Teacher, member of Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association (ORMTA) since 2018 and Vocal Coordinator for the Etobicoke-Mississauga branch since 2022 and a member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) since 2020. |