Sonia Bize

French harpist Sonia Bize, praised as "ethereal and spiritual" by OperaWire and “heavenly” by The Theatre Times, is a versatile musician introducing the harp to diverse audiences. Her awards include 3rd Prize at the 27th Nippon International Harp Competition in Japan and 2nd Prize at the Rencontres Internationales de la Harpe in France. Currently a substitute harpist for the Metropolitan Opera, Sonia has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Orchestre National de l'Opéra de Paris and the WDR Sinfoniorchester Köln. As a guest principal harpist with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, she participated in a European tour. Her chamber music highlights include the world premiere of the opera Magdalene at the Prototype Festival, collaborations with the Desdemona Ensemble, and a 2022 New York premiere of Buck McDaniel’s The Chelsea Preludes with cellist Julia Henderson. In 2018 she was a guest soloist appearance with the Rolston String Quartet at the Banff International String Quartet Festival. Sonia is also known for her creative work as a producer/multi-instrumentalist under her alias Hippo Dreams. In 2023, she contributed to albums like Regarding Miles Davis and Dinner at Mancini's. She also produced new Lofi renditions of "Into the Unknown" and “Beauty and the Beast” released under Walt Disney Records. Sonia is the artistic director of Etymology Records and an audio engineer, producer, and recording artist for Etymology Classics.