Sofia Gioldasi studied Choral Conducting at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam – Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (Bachelor & Master of Music) with Jos Vermunt and Jos van Veldhoven. During her Master studies she received individual coaching from Basilio Astulez and Andrew Nethsingha in Bilbao and Cambridge respectively and specialized in the combination of choral singing, body movement and stage action in children’s and youth choirs. Sofia also holds a Bachelor in Musicology/Music Education with distinction from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Sofia has had singing lessons with Xenia Meijer, Irene Verburg, Geert Berghs and Harry van Berne, and breathing technique lessons with Paul Triepels. She has participated in master classes with conductors and singers such as Ton Koopman, Emma Kirkby, Kaspars Putniņš, Harry van der Kamp, Theodora Pavlovitch, Doreen Rao, Vladimiros Symeonidis, Antonis Kontogeorgiou and Kostis Konstantaras, among others.

From 2010 to 2012 Sofia was a member of the Nationaal Vrouwen Jeugdkoor (Netherlands Female Youth Choir) with which she gave performances all around the Netherlands and abroad under the direction of notable conductors such as Ivan Fisher, Peter Dijkstra, Kaspars Putniņš, Serge Baudo, Wilma ten Wolde and James Gaffigan. During this period they also recorded the CD “Spring, the sweet Spring”, featuring an a-cappella romantic and contemporary repertoire.

Between 2011-2013 she conducted the Arnold Schönberg Kamerkoor (Chamber Choir) in Leiden, the Netherlands.

In 2005 Sofia took part in the 23rd International Kodály Seminar in Hungary (pedagogical course). In recent years she has applied the principals of the Kodály approach, working as a music teacher for the Nationaal Kinderkoor where she taught singing, music theory and solfege to children aged 8-12, preparing them for music productions such as the 3rd and 8th Symphony of Mahler (concerts with Berliner Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle and Concertgebouw Orchestra/Mariss Jansons, respectively).

From 2011 to 2014 Sofia held the position of permanent conductor of the top-level choirs of the Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor (NAK, children’s choir). During those years they performed in some of the most significant music venues in the Netherlands (Concertgebouw, Muziektheater Amsterdam and others), won the Silver Prize at the 9th ‘Cantemus’ International Choir Competition in Hungary, recorded many times for the Dutch National Radio and Television and collaborated with acclaimed musicians like Ton Koopman, the Amsterdams Baroque Orchestra, Emma Kirkby and Ed Spanjaard.

The peak of Sofia’s career so far was participating in the inauguration ceremony of the Dutch King Willem-Alexander on 30th April 2013, where she had the honor of conducting the NAK Talent Choirs and the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble. The event was broadcast live on Dutch National Television and watched by millions of people around the world. Highlights of the musical part of the ceremony are included in the CD Leve de Koning! (Universal Music/Deutsche Grammophon).

Sofia has been a jury member in International Choral Competitions and she is frequently asked to lead seminars, masterclasses and workshops in Greece, Turkey, Italy and in the Netherlands [4th Choral Conducting Masterclass - International Choral Festival of Preveza - Greece, 3rd Academy for Young Choral Conductors in Ankara - Turkey, Festival di Primavera in Montecatini - Italy, Movincanto Choral Festival in Cassano Magnago - Italy, Europa Cantat Festival “Sing with Slovenia” in Ljubljana - Slovenia (cancelled due to covid-19), Leading Voices in Utrecht - the Netherlands (expected 2022), among others].

In 2015 she moved back to her home country, Greece. She is currently the conductor of the Thessaloniki State Conservatory Mixed and Youth Choirs. She is also the founder, conductor and artistic leader of the “Voci Contra Tempo - Female Vocal Ensemble”. Even though the ensemble has only been active for a short time, “Voci Contra Tempo” has already made an impact on the Greek and international choral music scene. They have collaborated with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, among others, performing some of the main works for female choirs, such as ‘The Planets’ by Gustav Holst and Debussy’s ‘Nocturnes’. They have performed at prestigious venues in Greece, and in August 2021 the ensemble made its international debut after having been invited to participate in some of the most prestigious choral festivals in Europe: the “Guido d’Arezzo International Choral Festival” and the “Incontro Internazionale Polifonico ‘Città di Fano’”.

In addition to her music career, Sofia loves traveling, dancing, exercising, reading about interior design and meeting friends very often! She lives in Thessaloniki with her husband Vassilis and her 3 year old son, Angelos.