About Sophie
A S.E. Shires Rising Artist, Sophie Urban is pursuing her Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music where she studies with Professors Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer. Sophie additionally holds positions as Associate Principal Trumpet III with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, as an Associate Artist with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, and as a freelance musician and teacher in Houston, TX and Colorado Springs, CO.
A Colorado native, Sophie has previously performed with the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, and Colorado All State Honor Orchestra and Band. She made her featured solo debut playing Legend by Georges Enesco as a winner of the Denver Young Artists Orchestra Winds/Brass Concerto Competition in 2018 and again performed Legend with the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs in August 2022.
Sophie was named a National YoungArts Foundation 2021 winner in Classical Music: Trumpet and was honored with the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Young Artist Award in 2018. She has participated in the Monteux School & Music Festival, PRISMA Festival, Eastern Music Festival, National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA), and Curtis Institute of Music Summerfest Young Artist Program, among others. She is grateful to have been selected to play in masterclasses for many world-class musicians in the trumpet community including Alison Balsom, Sergei Nakariakov, Tine Thing Helseth, the Canadian Brass, and Doc Severinsen. She is profoundly thankful for their generosity and support of young artists.
Other accolades include being named a finalist in the ICTUS International Music Competition, receiving a Silver Medal Special Award in both the Vienna International Music Competition and Berliner International Music Competition, and earning 2nd place in the 2020 Houston Brass Band Young Brass Soloist Competition. Sophie was also a finalist in the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Junior Division Competition, as well as a semifinalist in the National Trumpet Competition, and the Young Musicians Foundation of Colorado.
Sophie’s work in music extends far beyond her trumpet performances. Over the years, she has presented a clinic at the 2018 Colorado State University Trumpet Day, served as an intern for the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, played piano for children’s worship, sung in church choir, and dabbled in video and audio engineering. Currently, she serves as a Student Recital Worker at the Shepherd School of Music, advocates for musician’s wellness, and holds a private teaching studio.
When not involved in her various music activities, Sophie loves studying, traveling, practicing yoga, playing tennis, hiking, skiing, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.