Sophie Kauer
Sophie Kauer (born 2001) is a British cellist currently studying at Norges musikkhøgskole with Torleif Thedéen. Prior to her studies in Norway, she was a private student of Melissa Phelps and a scholarship student in the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is also a participant in The Scandinavian Cello School Young Artist Scheme.
Sophie gained international recognition after being selected from hundreds of cellists worldwide for a leading role in the award-winning film TÁR, written and directed by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett. She performed live in the film alongside the Dresdner Philharmonie and also recorded music for the soundtrack album with the London Symphony Orchestra, which reached No. 1 on the US Classical Billboard Chart. Following the release of her debut EP Unsung on Deutsche Grammophon in 2023, she became the youngest artist to reach No. 1 on the Classical On-Demand Audio Streaming Chart. Her achievements have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition as a Classic FM Rising Star, an Opus Klassik Award nomination, and selection as The Times’ Classical Breakthrough nominee for the 2023 South Bank Sky Arts Awards. She was also named a “One to Watch” by People Magazine and a “Rising Star of Stage and Screen” by the Evening Standard.
Recent highlights include performances at the Bach300 Festival in Leipzig alongside Lang Lang and Daniel Hope, appearances at Festspillene i Bergen, and a performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker. Her upcoming engagements include appearances at leading international concert venues such as Dukes Hall in London and Oslo Konserthus, as well as recording projects with orchestras including the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester. Committed to promoting underrepresented voices in classical music, Sophie has commissioned and premiered new works by female composers. She is currently a recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Julius Isserlis Scholarship and the Tom Wilhelmsens Stiftelse Award, and serves as an ambassador for the Cheryl King Trust, a charity supporting music education for children with limited financial resources.
