About

“Sonja can be characterized by three words:
openness, passion and professional drive”
Martyn Smits (head of studies AMPA, FHK Tilburg)
“Sonja can be characterized by three words:
openness, passion and professional drive”

Sonja Oberkofler is a pioneering saxophonist, entrepreneur and educator from South Tyrol (Italy). Her centre of life is in Vienna, where she receives lessons from Alvaro Collao Leon and is involved in various projects. She regularly gives concerts as a soloist, with various chamber music ensembles and participates in various transdisciplinary projects.

A fierce advocate of contemporary music, Sonja has performed with world-renowned artists such as the All-star ensemble Bang on a Can, Asko|Schönberg and Temko. Her professional drive and attitude have resulted in collaborations with various composers Anthony Fiumara, Aart Strootmans, Aura Bouw, Steven Stoffels among others. Sonja has performed in the premiers of chamber, orchestral and operatic settings, including the dutch young talent opera „Het spel“, “Sekitei” by Ryo Noda and more.

As a chamber musician, Sonja played together with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta and Fontys Saxophone Ensemble for the dutch royal family. Her infectious passion for chamber music and transdisciplinary performances led her everywhere, from the Concertgebouw, National Opera Amsterdam, Brucknerhaus Linz, “Bunker H” Bolzano among other alternative venues of performance to playing at festivals like the Bosch Parade, Oranjewoud Festival, Festival Classique, Theaterboulevard, Opera Forward Festival, Grachtenfestival and Alpen Classica Festival. Being a versatile musician, she collaborated with various circus artists, actors and dancers and performed in transdisciplinary performances as a saxophonist.

Sonja is a Newzik ambassador, winner of the Junior Grachtenfestival Pitch 2017 and nominee of the Jacques de Leuw Price 2020.

She studied in The Netherlands at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts Tilburg under the guidance of Ties Mellema, Niels Bijl and Juana Palop and in Switzerland at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in the class of Lars Mlekusch. Additional studies have been the Bad-Homburg Masterclass in Germany, Barcelona Modern Festival in Spain and more, with world-renowned saxophonists such as Claude Delangle, Arno Bornkamp, Jean-Denis Michat, John Sampen, Christian Wirth, Pawel Gusnar, Russel Peterson, Ryo Noda, Joan Marti Frasquier among others. 

Sonja Oberkofler is a pioneering saxophonist, entrepreneur and educator from the Italian Alps.

A fierce advocate of contemporary music, Sonja has performed with world-renowned artists such as the All-star ensemble Bang on a Can, Asko|Schönberg and Temko. Her professional drive and attitude have resulted in collaborations with various composers Anthony Fiumara, Aart Strootmans, Aura Bouw, Steven Stoffels among others. Sonja has performed in the premiers of chamber, orchestral and operatic settings, including the dutch young talent opera „Het spel“, “Sekitei” by Ryo Noda and more.

As a chamber musician, Sonja played together with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta and Fontys Saxophone Ensemble for the dutch royal family. Her infectious passion for chamber music and transdisciplinary performances led her everywhere, from the Concertgebouw, National Opera Amsterdam, Brucknerhaus Linz, “Bunker H” Bolzano among other alternative venues of performance to playing at festivals like the Bosch Parade, Oranjewoud Festival, Festival Classique, Theaterboulevard, Opera Forward Festival, Grachtenfestival and Alpen Classica Festival. Being a versatile musician, she collaborated with various circus artists, actors and dancers and performed in transdisciplinary performances as a saxophonist.

Sonja is a Newzik ambassador, winner of the Junior Grachtenfestival Pitch 2017 and nominee of the Jacques de Leuw Price 2020.

She studied in The Netherlands at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts Tilburg under the guidance of Ties Mellema, Niels Bijl and Juana Palop and in Switzerland at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in the class of Lars Mlekusch.
Additional studies have been the Bad-Homburg Masterclass in Germany, Barcelona Modern Festival in Spain and more, with world-renowned saxophonists such as Claude Delangle, Arno Bornkamp, Jean-Denis Michat, John Sampen, Christian Wirth, Pawel Gusnar, Russel Peterson, Ryo Noda, Juan Martin Frasquier among others. Currently she is having lessons in Vienna (AT) from Alvaro Collao Leòn. 

In addition to her musical activities, she is also active in the field of management, having completed a master’s degree in sports, culture and event management.   

Furthermore, Sonja is passionately dedicated to the development of personal lifestyle through mindfulness, nutrition, exercise and mental training, which leads to her interest in holistic body-mind performance, for which she also holds a certificate in Performing Arts Medicine from the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA).

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