Biography

The versatility and agility of Sophia Brumfitt's voice has enabled her to work in areas spanning the entire spectrum of early music, from Medieval to Early Classical. She has sung with choirs like Ensemble Elyma, and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, appeared as soloist in Oratorio and traditional Celtic and Sephardic song.

Sophia started singing in choirs where she first discovered her love of Early Music. The South Wilts A Capella Choir sang occasional services in some of the greatest cathedrals in the south of England, including St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, Salisbury Cathedral, and Exeter Cathedral. She went on to study at Dartington College of Arts in Devon, at Lancaster University and then took English National Opera's course for young professionals- The Knack. Sophia received her Post Graduate in Early Music from The Royal College of Music in summer 2000 where she studied with Lillian Watson and Margaret Cable. Since then she has studied with Mary King and Nigel Rogers, had masterclasses with Emma Kirkby, Eric Mentzel, Maria Jonas, Gabriel Garrido and Michael Chance and now studies with Jessica Cash.

In 2001 Sophia first performed Songs for Mary Hodgson, a programme that she researched and promoted of songs from the 1690s' London Stage. This programme has been revived in June 2005 year for Salisbury Festival, for the Bloomsbury Festival at Bloomsbury Theatre in London, for the Dolmetsch Christmas Lecture-Recital at the Merchant's House in Marlborough, Wilts and more recently for the Handel House Museum.

In 2002 Sophia founded Rosa Mundi, a duo devoted to C17th and Renaissance music for plucked strings and voice with the Australian Lutenist Rosemary Hodgson. Designed to explore the exquisite music that bridges the renaissance and baroque styles, their tours in 2005 and 2006 offered a rare opportunity to hear this exciting duo breathe life into the music of a gentler age. Concerts sold out at Roche Court New Arts Centre- Salisbury Festival, King of Hearts Centre- Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Haslemere Museum- Dolmetsch Foundation, St. David's Cathedral Festival- Pembrokeshire, Merchant's House- Marlborough, Endicott House- Chagford, Lauderdale House in Highgate; The Merchant's House in Marlborough and Endicott House in South Devon. Programme titles: The Garden of Verses Songs, in honour of the English garden, Songs of Sundrie Kindes focussing on the publication of Thomas Greaves' first book of lute songs and John Dowland's Lachrymae and Zabaglione- a Musical Flummery Music from the beginning of the c17th, when the English Renaissance met Italian Baroque. During Rosemary's visits to the U.K. they were able to record enough music to release a C.D. which will be available soon on Maiseyday Music.

Sophia is a member of the Medieval ensemble Bardos Band. She has appeared as guest soloist in concerts at The Merchant's House, Marlborough, Salisbury Festival, and Utrecht Conservatrium.

In the last year Sophia has been guest soloist in Monteverdi Vespers with Reading Bach Choir at Douai Abbey, had solo recitals at The Handel House Museum, at Lovekyn Chapel for the Festival of the Voice, performed as a solo singer and dancer in the baroque dance project 'Orpheus Britannicus' at Cadogan Hall, performed chants from the liturgical Play of the Sybils for Julia Pond Dance and interpreted works from an exhibition by Helen Scalway in 'Singing the Drawings' at St. George's Church, Esher.