Sonja grew up in the Twin Cities and was a student winner in many MMTA, MTNA, Schubert Club and Thursday Musical competitions. For more than 20 years, she has performed as a collaborative pianist for hundreds of recitals, masterclasses and competitions. In Philadelphia, she served as staff accompanist for Villanova University, the Baldwin School, and Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. She currently serves on the faculty at University of Northwestern – St. Paul as Staff Accompanist, Supervisor of Student Accompanists, and Class Piano Instructor. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Daniel Paul Horn. As a student of Lambert Orkis and Charles Abramovic, she earned her Master’s Degree in Accompanying, Chamber Music, and Piano Pedagogy from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Sonja has been teaching piano lessons since she was in high school, in her home studio and at the Baldwin School, Temple University Prep Department, and currently for Northwestern's Academy of Music. She is a Master Certified Teacher with the Minnesota Music Teachers Association, a Musikgarten instructor, and a former homeschool mom to her three children.