Pianist Anna-Sofia Botti is pursuing a DMA at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University with Brian Connelly, where she also earned her MM. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Piano and Historical Studies from Bard College & Conservatory of Music, studying with Benjamin Hochman. Recently, she completed her eleventh year of teaching at Berkshire Summer Music in Sheffield, MA, premiered a music festival in her hometown of Wallingford, VT, and appeared in the inaugural season of SPECTRA Music in Los Angeles. Past awards include first prize in the Vermont Philharmonic Concerto Competition, the Vermont All-State Piano Scholarship, and the Bard College Concerto Competition, the last as a mezzo-soprano.
Anna-Sofia’s passion for history shapes her academic pursuits: her undergraduate history thesis examined newspapers and dissent in WWII Japanese-American incarceration camps, and current research interests include 20th century American music and its relationship with Black American culture. She is also a certified Suzuki teacher and completed her training at the School for Strings in New York City.