French harpist Sonia Bize, hailed as “ethereal and spiritual” by OperaWire and celebrated for her “heavenly” performances by The Theatre Times, is a multifaceted musician who introduces the harp to diverse audiences through her performances and recordings. Recognized with numerous awards throughout her career, including 3rd Prize at the 27th Nippon International Harp Competition in Japan and 2nd Prize at the Rencontres Internationales de la Harpe in France, she has established herself as a remarkable performing artist. Her recordings, streamed over 15 million times across digital platforms, reflect a refined artistry that resonates deeply with classical music audiences around the world.

Sonia Bize has performed with prestigious orchestras and at international festivals across three continents, appearing with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Paris, and the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, and at the Pacific Music Festival in Japan. Her role as guest principal harp with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, including appearances on a European tour, has further solidified her reputation as an orchestral musician. Most recently, she served as principal harpist with Austin Opera and The Orchestra San Antonio. She honed her skills through degrees at institutions including the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg, and the Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Bize was an artist in residence through the Rebanks Family Fellowship at the Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School in Toronto.

Her notable performances as a chamber musician include the world premiere of the opera “Magdalene” at the Prototype Festival, an exciting collaboration with the Desdemona Ensemble for string quartet and harp. In 2018, Ms. Bize appeared as a guest soloist with the Rolston String Quartet at the Banff International String Quartet Festival. In 2022, alongside cellist Julia Henderson, she premiered The Chelsea Preludes by Buck McDaniel at the General Theological Seminary in New York City. Her recording Moments of Spring features a thoughtfully curated selection of iconic pieces transcribed for cello, violin, and harp, in collaboration with cellist Steven Honigberg and violinist Lily Honigberg.

Sonia Bize is also known for her creative approach as a producer and multi-instrumentalist under the alias “Hippo Dreams.” Since 2023, she has been invited to contribute to several compilation albums, including “Regarding Miles Davis,” curated by the Miles Davis estate and released through Downtown Music Services, and “Dinner at Mancini’s,” released by Primary Wave Music. She worked as producer, arranger, and harpist on a Walt Disney Records project of new lo-fi renditions of “Into the Unknown” and “Beauty and the Beast,” featuring cellist Julia Henderson. Ms. Bize is the artistic director and head of A&R of Etymology Records, as well as an audio engineer, producer, curator, and recording artist for the classical label Etymology Classics.