Sophie Volpe

About Sophie

Sophie Volpe (she/her) is a performer and teacher in Houston, Texas. As a recent graduate of Rice University's Shepherd School of Music with her Master of Music, Volpe maintains a busy schedule freelancing and teaching master classes and private lessons.

Volpe has shared the stage with renowned orchestras such as the Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony, and Erie Philharmonic. Her journey in music began with a Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone Performance and Music Education from the Eastman School of Music, where she earned a Performer's Certificate and received the Steve Witzer Award of Excellence. In 2022, Volpe earned Honorable Mention at the International Women’s Brass Conference Mock Audition Competition.

Volpe’s commitment to music education led her to establish The Volpe Trombone Studio in 2019, offering ongoing comprehensive online and in-person instruction to students spanning ages 12 to 55 from all corners of the United States. Volpe has conducted master classes at institutions such as Interlochen Arts Academy and Arkansas State University, and at high schools across the country. Volpe taught for many summers at Interlochen Arts Camp, initially serving as a Brass Teaching Assistant for three consecutive summers. Later, in 2021, she came back to the camp as the Trombone Teaching Fellow, offering private lessons, coaching chamber music, and performing with the Faculty Brass Ensemble.

Volpe has established her voice in marketing, serving as the Marketing Coordinator for the Horizon Chamber Series, a chamber music series based out of Washington D.C. and Erie, Pennsylvania, and fulfills the role of Social Media Coordinator for the SE Shires, Eastman Winds, and Wilson Brass manufacturing companies. Working in this sphere of the music industry allows her to connect to audiences beyond the stage, something that Volpe has great passion for.

My learn-by-ear approach develops a secure foundation on the instrument, encourages the student to think about music before technique. I work with students to aim their skills at tangible goals, focusing on how to conceive a goal and chip away at it over time. In lessons, I incorporate mindfulness techniques, dynamic warm-ups, and time management approaches.