2025 Radda Rise International Vocal Competition
Sophie Gowen
Honorable Mention
•Category 2
Sophie Gowen is a talented young vocalist and pianist with a strong foundation in musical theater, classical piano, and dance. Born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and now based in New York City, she has been studying piano for ten years and voice for five. She is currently a student in the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) Pre-College Program, where she studies voice with Giuseppe Spoletini and piano with Emily White. Her early dance training at the School of American Ballet further enriched her stage presence and movement skills. Sophie has performed in a variety of musical theater productions, showcasing her versatility as a performer. She has played the lead role of Matilda in Matilda the Musical at both the MSM Summer Program in 2022 and Interlochen Intermediate Musical Theater in 2024. Other notable performances include Young Alice in Alice in Wonderland at Centrestage Studios HK, the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz at Wycombe Abbey HK, as well as Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls and Young Amélie in Amélie as part of the MSM Pre-College Program.
Sophie has earned recognition in several prestigious vocal competitions. She was awarded First Prize with Honors in the Junior Category of Singing at the 2024 USA Classical and Creative International Competition, and returned the following year to receive the competition’s Grand Prize with Honors in 2025. That same year, she won Second Prize in voice at the Charleston International Music Spring Competition and was named a Second Prize Winner in the New York Artists Guild International Music Competition. Additionally, she was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2025 Classical Singer Vocal Competition in the Musical Theatre High School 1 division and was awarded First Prize with Honors in the International Youth Music Competition.
In addition to her accomplishments in voice and theater, Sophie has an extensive background in classical piano. She has earned multiple First Class Honors with Distinction in Royal Conservatory of Music examinations since 2016 and was awarded the organization’s State Award in 2019, recognizing her as the best in New York State. Her achievements have led to prestigious performance opportunities, including an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall in 2018 and a featured live broadcast performance through the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2020. In 2023, she further refined her skills by attending the Interlochen Intermediate Piano Program, where she studied with Kasandra Keeling.
Beyond her musical achievements, Sophie is academically driven and has been studying physics with a Columbia University professor since 2021. She is also bilingual in English and Chinese, with fluency in reading, writing, and speaking both languages. Looking toward the future, she is dedicated to pursuing a career on Broadway.