Sofia Sousa Rocha was born in 1986, in Braga - Portugal.
In 2001 she started her first Composition studies with Paulo Bastos at the Conservatory of Braga, where she also studied Electroacoustic.
In 2004 she successfully applied to the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa (ESML) to complete a First Degree in Composition, graduating in 2008, with a mark of 18 (out of 20). She studied with some of the most well recognized Portuguese composers such as Christopher Bochmann, Luís Tinoco, Carlos Caires and Carlos Marecos, among others. As a student at ESML Sofia Sousa Rocha co-organized various events, including the concerts "Peças Frescas" (Student Composers' Concerts), promoting the youngest Portuguese musicians and composers. She also co-directed the IV and V Music Festivals of the ESML in the S. Luiz Theater.
She received the first prize at the Composition Prize of ESML/Archaeology National Museum (2008) at orchestra category. She was commissioned by the Young Musicians Prize (2008), promoted by Antena 2 – Portuguese Radio Broadcast and Alcobaça Music Festival (2009). She has also participated in the II Reading Panel of Orquestra do Algarve with “Papagaio sem penas” (2008). Subsequently this piece was selected for the season 08/09.
Recent activities include the selection for the 7th Workshop of Gulbenkian’s Foundation Orchestra for Young Portuguese Composers with “Um e um” (2008). Ricercare Choir and Sinfonietta Orchestra performed her works at the Young Portuguese Composers concerts (2009 and 2010).
She is currently working on her masters thesis in composition at ESML under the guidance of Professor António Pinho Vargas and she is teaching musical analysis and composition at the Escola de Música do Orfeão de Leiria / Conservatório de Artes.
