Dr. Sofia Kraevska is a Ukrainian-Canadian composer, arranger and classical pianist. Born in Lviv, Ukraine, Sofia began her music studies at an early age. After immigrating to Canada in 1989, she earned a BM in Piano Performance at the University of Ottawa in 2001. Sofia holds a Diplome Superieur in Piano Performance from the Schola Cantorum in Paris, France (2000), a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music (2003), and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami in Composition, with a Cognate in Conducting (2009). Sofia's doctoral essay/three-movement orchestral composition, Terra Mirabilis, is published by Proquest. An active composer and performer for over 20 years, Kraevska's works have been premièred in Canada, Ukraine, France, Italy, Poland, Austria and the United States.
Kraevska’s compositions range from classical contemporary to jazz-inspired and electronic. World premières include Carnegie Hall, Manhattan, Paris, the Basilica of the Dominican Friars (Poland), Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church (Lviv, Ukraine), the Highlands-Cashiers Summer Music Festival (North Carolina), the University of Miami's Gusman Concert Hall and Clarke Recital Hall, and Sursa Performance Hall (Ball State University). Her works have been performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the University of Miami Frost Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Youth Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra Brass Quintet, Choir Dudaryk, the Ibis Camerata, the Vega String Quartet, ONDA, saxophonist Dale Underwood, and the Calixa Lavallee Choral Ensemble, among others.
Kraevska's classical recording debut, Noli Me Tangere, was released in 2006 on the Ibis Camerata’s debut album, Glisten (Albany Records). Sofia has collaborated with her husband Scott Routenberg on [Inside] (2020, Summit Records), Jazztronicus (2006), and Lots of Pulp (2003), and Sire on ElektroBarok Concept (Paris, 2001). Sofia is a writer member of SOCAN and an Associate Composer with the Canadian Music Centre.
As a pianist Sofia has performed with violinist/conductor Cristian Macelaru (Associate Conductor, Philadelphia Orchestra), Orchestra Indiana, The Florida Orchestra, bassist Joel Braun (New York Philharmonic), bassist Jeremy Kurtz-Harris (San Diego Symphony), mezzo-soprano Rebecca Braun (Juilliard), baritone Craig Priebe, and cellist Peter Opie and has concertized at the Salle César Franck at the Schola Cantorum in Paris, France. Among her piano teachers are Lydia Golembo, Jean-Paul Sevilla, Andrew Tunis, Jacques Bernier, and J.B. Floyd. Sofia has studied composition with Steven Gellman, John Van der Slice, Dennis Kam and Lansing McLoskey; choral conducting with Laurence Ewashko, and orchestral conducting with David Currie and Thomas Sleeper.
Dr. Kraevska is currently Instructor of Music at Ball State University School of Music, where she teaches Music Theory, Fundamentals of Music, and Choral Arranging courses. As a music educator, Dr. Kraevska has taught at Ball State University (Adjunct Faculty, Piano Performance), Saint Leo University (Visiting Assistant Professor of Music), Northwood University (West Palm Beach, Adjunct Faculty), and the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where she was a Graduate Teaching Assistant on full scholarship. Sofia also teaches private classical piano lessons.