Sophie is a classically trained pianist, sousaphonist, accordionist and music educator based in Los Angeles. She got her start as a music educator at an elementary school in central Oregon. There, she provided music classes to students in kindergarten through 5th grade as part of their regular school day through a collaboration between the national service organization, AmeriCorps and Portland-based nonprofit, Ethos Music Center. While there, she led a tuition-free after-school music program which provided instrumental lessons to students in kindergarten through 8th grade. She also co-founded the Madras Children’s Choir which gave students in under-resourced schools opportunities to learn choral repertoire, develop vocal technique, and perform in their community.
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Since then, Sophie has worked with the nonprofit organizations, Music for Minors and P.S. ARTS, bringing music education to TK-5th grade students in the San Mateo/Foster City Unified School District, San José Unified School District, Castro Valley Unified School District, and Los Angeles Unified School District. In addition to her work with these organizations as an educator, Sophie collaborated with elementary school principals and the Music for Minors program manager to coordinate over fifty music educators in 900 elementary school classrooms each year.
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​Sophie studied music, psychology, and Spanish at Laney College in Oakland, where she graduated with Associate Degrees with highest honors in all three areas.
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Photo: Michelle Bates​
SOPHIE PIPIA
Musician & Music Educator
She went on to graduate magna cum laude from UCLA, completing a major in Music Education at the Herb Alpert School of Music and a minor in Film, Television, and Digital Media at the School of Theater, Film and Television. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she teaches piano lessons through her private studio as well as general music, strings, and choir at the elementary level in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District.
Sophie is passionate about inspiring students to develop a lifelong love of learning and is dedicated to promoting equity and opportunity in music and the arts at the elementary level, where she is committed to providing students from every background and economic situation with an excellent musical foundation.
