Biography
Sophie Van Dijk is an emerging composer and violinist passionate about creating music that is engaging and unique. She writes music to explore elements of faith, society and humanity and share these things with others with the ultimate goal of bringing joy and fostering dialogue and community.
Sophie is currently studying a Bachelor of Music (Composition) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has had chamber, choral and solo works performed throughout the ACT and NSW. She has been commissioned by Radford College (Canberra), the Brett Whiteley Gallery (Sydney) and Canberra Grammar School, and was selected to participate in the inaugural Coro Innominata Women Composers Development Program in 2017.
Sophie is interested in exploring the relationship between music and other artforms, and how they can enhance meaning and understanding when combined. She has collaborated with visual artists on a number of projects including short documentary Merge (visuals by Michelle Chanique and Karen Lee) in conjunction with Fairfield City Council.
Sophie enjoys sharing music with everyone of all ages and abilities, and has been privileged to talk about her work and compositional process with high school and primary school students in Canberra throughout 2018.
Sophie is currently working on new chamber and choral works and an exciting collaboration with Sydney-based poet Clare Pryor. Sophie is also a founding member of Sydney-based composer-performer collective Konzertprojekt and will continue to work with them throughout the remainder of 2018 to present concerts and perform new chamber works.
Sophie describes the last three years at the Conservatorium as an exciting, intense and at times, challenging period of learning, creating and growing. “When I started, I never dreamed that I would make it this far…I simply pursued my passion and I am delighted that other people have believed in me and what I have to say, have mentored me, performed my music and helped me share it. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have had so far and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next.”
Composer website: https://www.sophievandijk.com/
Featured Works
Towards Adventure, for Saxophone Quartet.
This “choose-your-own-adventure” style piece takes on a life of its own as it trusts performers with the freedom to interact with the music, with one another, and the space in which they perform. No two performances are exactly the same, each one is an adventure for the performers and the listeners.
This arrangement of the piece for saxophone quartet was premiered at the Verge Gallery in June 2018.
Featured in Human Waves (October 2018).
Into Ethereal Space, for string quartet.
What is ‘space’? Where is ‘nowhere’? How do we understand these concepts? How do we cultivate ‘nowhere’ and ‘space’? These are questions that I considered when approaching this work.
‘Into Ethereal Space’ invites you to enter into a space of contrasts and to explore, contemplate and consider what ‘nowhere’ and ‘space’ might mean.
Featured in the playlist String Quartet Waves (March 2019)
La petite vie d’un papillon, for piano duo- two pianos, four hands.
It is said that a butterfly lives for only one day – a short yet beautiful life. ‘La petite vie d’un papillon’ journeys through the butterfly’s day and reflects the wonder, fragility and peace that each moment holds.
– Sophie Van Dijk
Featured in Piano Waves- October 2019
MAKING WAVES 