Sofia Sacco

piano

Thursday 13th November 2025

7.30pm Morpeth Methodist Church

Programme (on occasion, the artist may make minor changes to the published programme)

Portraits & Dances

Couperin Les Barricades Mystérieuses 

Daquin Le coucou

Rameau Les Tendres Plaintes, La Joyeuse, L'Entretien des Muses, Les Cyclopes

Lully Gavotte en Rondeau

J.S. Bach  Toccata in E minor

F. Say Black Earth

Respighi Notturno

R. Schumann Carnaval Op. 9

London based Italian pianist, Sofia Sacco, brings her 'Portraits and Dances' programme to Morpeth in November. Sofia trained at the Royal Academy of Music where she now teaches. She is looking forward to releasing her first CD in 2025 of Shostakovich's preludes and fugues. As well as her flourishing performing and teaching musical career, Sofia is also a physics graduate!

The first half of Sofia's programme will comprise a selection of charming miniatures from a wide range of eras - J.S. Bach and Couperin to the contemporary Turkish composer Fazil Say's astonishing Black Earth.  We will hear Robert Schumann's Carnaval Op. 9 in the second half. This suite of variations represents an elaborate masked ball during the carnival season.

Sofia explains more about her choice of works:

'This programme brings together pieces that explore character and movement in contrasting but complementary ways. The "portraits" capture vivid impressions of individuals, moods, or inner worlds, while the "dances" provide rhythmic vitality and a sense of physical expression. The works were chosen for the way they speak to each other—balancing introspection with exuberance, intimacy with spectacle. From the delicate refinement of Couperin’s enigmatic Les Barricades Mystérieuses, Rameau’s vivid miniatures, and Lully’s courtly Gavotte, the programme offers an insight on Baroque long standing tradition of miniatures and dance-like movements. Passing through the Eastern Europe's and Italian's short scenes described by Say and Respighi, the programme finishes with Schumann’s Carnaval, a kaleidoscopic and spectacular series of portraits and dances in itself.'

Listen to works from this programme on Spotify HERE!

'sensitive artistry combined with technical mastery holds us spell bound'

Christopher Axworthy Music Commentary 2024

More about Sofia from her website :

'Italian pianist Sofia Sacco played extensively throughout Europe and Asia. She appeared as soloist in more than 100 recitals in Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and China with latest appearances at prestigious venues including Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Gohliser Schlösschen in Leipzig, Pushkin House in London, Villa Reale in Monza, Centro Cultural Retiro in Madrid among others. She recently toured China giving recitals in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Changsha, Changchun, Hangzhou, Shenzhen. She appeared with the Pollini Symphony Orchestra, the Audentia Ensemble, Orchestra delle Tre Venezie and the Timía Chamber Orchestra. Sofia is the recipient of the Francis Simms Prize and first prize winner of the Bach International Music Competition and A. Baldi International Piano Competition.



Sofia began playing the piano at the age of 6 in Padua with M. Lazzarin, A. Silva and M. Ferrati, and moved to the UK in 2019 to study at the Royal Academy of Music as a scholarship student with R. Hayroudinoff. After completing her Master of Arts and Professional Diploma, Sofia was appointed Hodgson Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music for two consecutive years, and was awarded the Aud Jebsen Fellowship for 2024/2025.

Italian pianist Sofia Sacco played extensively throughout Europe and Asia. She appeared as soloist in more than 100 recitals in Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and China with latest appearances at prestigious venues including Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Gohliser Schlösschen in Leipzig, Pushkin House in London, Villa Reale in Monza, Centro Cultural Retiro in Madrid among others. She recently toured China giving recitals in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Changsha, Changchun, Hangzhou, Shenzhen. She appeared with the Pollini Symphony Orchestra, the Audentia Ensemble, Orchestra delle Tre Venezie and the Timía Chamber Orchestra. Sofia is the recipient of the Francis Simms Prize and first prize winner of the Bach International Music Competition and A. Baldi International Piano Competition.

Sofia began playing the piano at the age of 6 in Padua with M. Lazzarin, A. Silva and M. Ferrati, and moved to the UK in 2019 to study at the Royal Academy of Music as a scholarship student with R. Hayroudinoff. After completing her Master of Arts and Professional Diploma, Sofia was appointed Hodgson Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music for two consecutive years, and was awarded the Aud Jebsen Fellowship for 2024/2025.'