Sofia Hernandez-Williams

Sofia Hernandez-Williams is 11 years old and a cello student of Timothy Terranella at Worcester’s Joy of Music Program. When she’s not playing her cello, Sofia can be found doing math, gardening, writing a story, practicing piano and voice, or tinkering around with her dad’s violin-making tools.

Since beginning formal lessons at age 6, Sofia has had the privilege of attending summer music festivals at Rivers Conservatory, Groton Hill Music, and Joy of Music. This summer, she attended Greenwood Music Camp in Western Mass, and spent a week in Vienna, Austria studying with Dr. Anzel Gerber at the historic Musikverein concert hall. 

Sofia is a member of the Repertory Orchestra at Boston Youth Symphonies, and serves as principal cello with the Joy of Music Youth Orchestra (JYO), with whom she performed as soloist in February 2024. She was awarded Second Place in the 2022 Music Worcester Young Artist Competition, Junior Division, and First Prize - Elementary Division in the 2023 Richter String Competition at Rivers Conservatory. She also received an Honorable Mention at this year’s Lowell Philharmonic Concerto Competition.

In May of 2024, Sofia gave her debut performance of the complete Haydn C Major Cello Concerto as soloist with Worcester’s Seven Hills Symphony under the baton of Juli Sansoucy. Sofia gave a repeat performance of the Haydn Concerto with the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra in July 2024 at Worcester’s Institute Park. Her Boston debut is slated for January 26, 2025, as soloist with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, with whom she has been invited to perform the last movement of Haydn C for their “Musical Super Heroes” concert. Also in January, Sofia will travel to Detroit for the Annual Sphinx Competition, where she will participate as this year’s youngest junior semi-finalist.

Sofia is a 4th-year student at Boston’s Project STEP, Class of 2032.