We recently connected with Sofia Sanchez Maestro and have shared our conversation below.

Sofia , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

It’s difficult to name just one, because my work as a pianist has always been deeply connected to my personal growth and sense of purpose. But if I had to highlight a few turning points, they would be moments where music became a bridge between my inner world and my ambition to share my talent with the world.

My debut in Asia at 15, performing Spanish music in Tokyo, was a defining experience. Being so young, yet entrusted with the role of representing my country on an international stage, shaped my sense of artistic responsibility early on. A couple of years later, a masterclass with Kathia Buniatishvili — in my opinion, the greatest pianist of our generation — left a lasting impression. Her words affirmed something I had quietly hoped: that I was ready to step into an international career as a pianist. It felt like both a blessing and a call to rise higher.

I took her advice seriously and made a wholehearted decision to dedicate myself to becoming one of the top artists in the world. Over the past few years, I’ve worked with that focus: performing extensively abroad, refining my artistic voice, and teaching with deep commitment. In the process, I’ve also been honored to win international competitions, including the Oberton International Music Competition in Graz, Austria.

Perhaps my most meaningful current project is the CD I’m recording, “From War to the Gates of Heaven.” It’s a musical and spiritual journey that responds to today’s fears of global conflict, through the lens of 20th-century composers — many of them women whose voices were long unheard. The final piece envisions a divine return, a kind of collective redemption. It’s the most personal and spiritually ambitious program I’ve ever created.

I also find deep fulfillment in teaching — currently at the Manhattan School of Music — where I guide freshmen at the very start of their professional paths. To accompany young artists in their first steps, knowing how sacred and fragile that stage can be, feels like a full-circle gift.

Each project, whether onstage or in the studio or classroom, reflects the same commitment: to serve something greater through music.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Sofía Sánchez Maestro. I’m a Spanish pianist, educator, and visual artist currently based in New York City. My performances often shift between a sense of delicacy and overwhelming intensity, blending the depth of classical tradition with a contemporary approach. My work spans solo piano, chamber music, interdisciplinary collaborations, and visual art, all rooted in the belief that art is a gateway to inner transformation and deep connection.

I’ve been performing internationally since my teenage years, and I currently balance my concert activity with teaching at the Manhattan School of Music — one of the world’s leading conservatories. In addition to that, I teach private piano lessons and offer personalized coaching for aspiring musicians who want guidance on their path to success in the music world.
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I started playing the piano at the age of five, thanks to my father — a musician specialized in Celtic music from the north of Spain, where I was born and raised. Music was always present in our home, and it quickly became a natural part of my life. Just a few years after I began, I realized I was becoming completely obsessed with the piano. I felt a deep sense of purpose — as if I had been called to become one of the great artists of my generation, not for the sake of prestige, but to touch people’s hearts through music.
I pursued formal studies in Europe and later earned my Master’s degree in Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Each step has been a process of deepening — not only technically, but also spiritually and artistically.

Today, I’m living that dream I once had as a child: I’m a professional pianist withal international career, dedicating my life to music — and nothing makes me happier.
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Beyond performance, I teach private piano lessons to students of all levels, from dedicated beginners to advanced pre-professionals. I also offer coaching for aspiring musicians who are seeking artistic clarity, technical refinement, and guidance on how to build a meaningful career in the music industry. My coaching is highly intuitive and tailored to each person — not just about “playing better,” but about finding one’s voice and confidence as an artist.

As a visual artist, I create paintings that often emerge from a musical or emotional state — many of which have been exhibited alongside my concerts. And in all areas of my work, I share life lessons and mindset tools that have supported my own journey: how to cultivate discipline without losing joy, how to honor your inner calling, and how to live with creative freedom and spiritual purpose.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m drawn to creating experiences that feel timeless — where people can step outside the noise of daily life and enter a space of meaning, clarity, and elevation. Whether I’m performing a 20th-century sonata or improvising beside one of my own paintings, I want the audience to feel something essential: that beauty is all around us, and that when we attune to it, it opens our hearts and brings us closer to what makes us truly human.

Another part of my mission is to inspire others to believe that a life in music is not only possible, but incredibly fulfilling. I love sharing personal stories with my students — the surprises, the highs and lows — to show them that the path to a professional artistic life is rarely linear, but always worth it. I encourage them not to seek too much external validation, not even from the most admired musicians. The key is a mixture of intuition, study, and authenticity. I truly believe our uniqueness is our greatest strength — and when we embrace it, it opens the door to a life beyond what we ever imagined.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, it’s the opportunity to create my own world and invite others into it. There’s something deeply fulfilling about shaping a sound, an idea, a gesture, and then watch it resonate in someone else’s soul. Art allows me to live with integrity and intention, and to share what I love most: music, color, moments of beauty. It’s the intimate exchange between artist and audience that stays with me long after the concert ends.

I also feel incredibly grateful for the lifestyle this path allows. I get to travel often, meet fascinating people from all over the world, and sometimes perform in the most breathtaking spaces — even palaces! My schedule is flexible, my work feels meaningful, and I often think, “I’m being paid to live the life of my dreams.” And honestly… I’m very happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sofiamaestropiano.com/
• Instagram: Sofiamaestropiano
• Other: Super prof: Sofia Sanchez Maestro Piano New York
  Email consultations: [email protected]

Image Credits

Daniel Cobos