Sophia joined Taikoz in 2014 after successfully auditioning for Taikoz’s Individual Development Program in 2011, followed by Taikoz Associate Player status in 2012. She has subsequently appeared in all of Taikoz’s major projects and often features as a dynamic katsugi okedo and taiko set soloist.
Sophia co-leads the Sydney Onikenbai Club with Ryuji (under the umbrella of ATA) and regularly travels to Japan for study with Iwasaki Onikenbai Hozonkai, the original masters of the dance-music form known as Onikenbai. When in Japan, she regularly performs Onikenbai in the Kitakami Michinoku Geinou Matsuri. Sophia completed a Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University and has performed with the Australian Youth Orchestra and the Sydney Sinfonia.
At the Australian Taiko Academy, Sophia teaches several weekly classes and leads ATA’s regional education initiative, Not A Dress Rehearsal (in conjunction with Orana Arts). Sophia tours regularly to metropolitan and regional centres to present concerts in schools. Currently, she assists in the administration of ATA’s education program.