Sophia Flores
Classical Saxophonist
Educator
Sophia Flores is an acclaimed Latina classical saxophonist and music educator. Flores is celebrated for her expressive musicality, passionate lyricism, and distinctive artistry; she captivates audiences with performances that are vibrant, melodious, and deeply evocative.
As a prominent voice in the classical music world, Sophia is widely recognized for her solo recitals and community collaborations throughout California, with invitations from The Pacific Club, Newport Public Library, Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles, Boston Court Pasadena, Noontime Concert Series, Crocker Art Museum, Loyola Law School Orchestra, and many more. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia, and the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 2 Conference in Fullerton, California. Her recent achievements include giving the world premieres of arrangement "Farewell My Krakow" by Timothy Maggs, as well as "Otherworldly" by Chilean-American composer Jaime Azcárraga, winning the Concordia Wind Orchestra Concerto Competition, receiving the Outstanding Master of Music Graduate of Instrumental Music Award from the USC Thornton School of Music, and earning First Place at the Charleston International Autumn Music Festival in 2025. Flores has been prominently featured at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Irvine Barclay Theatre, PBS, Fox News, and ABC News, presenting her artistry to diverse audiences. She has performed under the baton of distinguished conductors, including Michael Haithcock, Gary Hill, Peter Boonshaft, Carl St. Clair, and Anthony Parnther, and has appeared as a soloist under Cynthia Johnston Turner and Frank Ticheli.
Flores is also a dedicated member of the Loca Saxophone Quartet, alongside her friends and colleagues Joshua Hebert, Collin Juniper, and Julianna Townley. Loca is an active and dynamic saxophone quartet, known for inspiring audiences with a wide-range of repertoire spanning across jazz, classical, contemporary, and popular music. Loca has been invited to perform at events including the Navy Band Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax, Virginia, the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 2 Conference in Fullerton, California, and for prominent figures in the classical music world such as Anthony Parnther, Henryk Golden, Joey Sellers, Carter Pann, and Frank Ticheli. The quartet is also committed to expanding the saxophone repertoire through world premieres of new works, including Saxophone Music by Luc Edouard and Fog Run by Brenden McBrien.
As an educator, Sophia has served on faculty for the Lutheran Summer Music Festival in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the Concordia University Chamber Music Festival in Irvine, California, where she continues to inspire young musicians through her commitment to artistry and education. She maintains a successful private saxophone studio and teaches middle school band in the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento, California.
Sophia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Saxophone Performance, along with a Single Subject Music Teaching Credential, from Concordia University Irvine, and obtained her Master of Music in Saxophone Performance at the University of Southern California. Now based in Sacramento, California, Sophia continues to perform throughout the state as a soloist, chamber musician, and clinician. Guided by a deep belief in music’s power to communicate, connect, and transform, she strives to share the beauty of classical saxophone everywhere she performs. Recognizing that the art of classical saxophone remains underrepresented on the West Coast, she is devoted to cultivating its presence within this community to ensure it continues to thrive and touch the hearts of audiences all around the world.
