Sophie Min is a Brisbane-based pianist, composer, and improvisor whose work shows a distinctive personal aesthetic and one of the most outstanding young jazz musicians in Australia. Her accolades include ABC Jazz Emerging Talents of the Year, Australian Jazz Bell Awards, SIMA and APRA AMCOS Emerging Composers Fellowship, QMusic Awards, and the Freedman Fellowship. Sophie has performed worldwide with the JM Jazz World Orchestra (EUR), the Centrum Jazz Port Townsend Workshop (US), Banff Workshop (Canada), Basel International Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Perth International Jazz Festival, Wangaratta International Jazz Festival, Melbourne’s Kawai Piano Series Concert and Sydney Women’s Jazz Festival. She has also written several commissions including We Made a Thing Nonet Project 2022 (WA) and Emerging Composers Program 2020 (NSW).
Her latest project, Sophie Min Orchestra (SMO), is a collective chamber jazz ensemble that released two albums ‘Your Wings’ (2022) and 'Bellwether' (2020), which have been awarded numerous awards and showcased its expertise to Australian jazz scene. These works depict the innovative ensemble that takes her musical vision to a daring new place with strings, percussions, and modern jazz arranging atmosphere. The recent album ‘Your Wings’ interacts as a multigenre and collaborative work: manipulating artform on choreographic, visual and improvisational art. Sophie is a fierce solo performer pursuing research and activities of improvisation based on sound resonance, harmonic facilities, and rhythmic intricacy. Alongside her solo work, she is also a significant collaborator, releasing music as part of original bands such as Shamin and Forage.
She is now finalising her research project entitled ‘Narrative Driven Practice: the Process of Arranging and Composing Music through Piano Improvisations’ at the Queensland Conservatorium. Her recent mentorship experience includes sessions with Vijay Iyer, Scott Tinkler, Barney McAll and Tyshawn Sorey.
Biography

Performance at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music, Canada
@photo by Jessica Wittman
"Sophie Min may seem unassuming but when she writes music you witness a lion roar and you hear and feel a very evolved spirit expressing deep knowledge, passion and the mystery of our human condition" - Barney McAll
"Sophie Min is the truth" - Vijay Iyer
"Your Wings" - Sophie Min Orchestra
Independent Release (2022)
Sophie Min (p/composition), Zac Sakrewski (b), Benjamin Shannon (d), Nozomi Omote (vib/xyl), Flora Wong (vln), Tristan Rogers (tpt), Martin Kay (fl/sax/cl), Hannah Macklin (vox)
"Bellwether" - Sophie Min Orchestra
Real Production (2020)
Sophie Min (p/composition), Zac Sakrewski (b), Lachlan Hawkins (d), Kayleigh Pincott (v),
Tristan Rogers (trumpet), Josh Kehoe (tenor sax/soprano sax/flute/clarinet), Joel Aspinal (tenor sax), Harry Ottley (alto sax/flute/clarinet), Flora Wong (violin1), Julianna Kim (violin2),
Kieran Welch (viola), Briony Lutterell (Cello)
Supersonic (2020)
Sophie Min (p/composition)
"Open" - The Counters: Sophie Min Trio
Supersonic (2019)
Sophie Min (p/composition), Helen Svoboda (b), Tim Green (d)
‘"Thanks for the Hands" - Min/Sherlock
Pinnacles Music (2019)
Sophie Min (p/composition), James Sherlock (guitar)
‘"Fine Gnaw" - SHAMIN
Independent Release (2019)
Sophie Min (p/composition), Benjamin Shannon (d/composition)
‘"Min/Svoboda/Hawkins" - Min/Svoboda/Hawkins Trio
Independent Release (2018)
Sophie Min (p/composition), Helen Svoboda (b/composition), Lachlan Hawkins (dr)
"Hectic Moon" - Sprout
Supersonic Production (2018)
Helen Svoboda (b/composition), Sophie Min (p/composition), Simon Svoboda (cello)
"From All Sides" - Nimble
Independent Release (2018)
Sophie Min (p/composition), David Galea (b/composition), Lachlan Hawkins (dr/handpan),
Elly Hoyt (v), Kristin Berardi (v), Tsoof Baras (percussion)
"Move to the Bleat" - Martin Kay's Forage
Supersonic Production (2018)
Martin Kay (as/cl/composition), Andrew Saragossi (ts/acl), Brodie Mcallister (tb),
Sophie Min (p/keys), Helen Svoboda (b), Zac Sakrewski (b/effects), Benjamin Shannon (d)
"Solace" - Kayleigh Pincott Quintet
Independent Release (2017)
Kayleigh Pincott (v/composition), Sophie Min (p), Zac Sakrewski (b), Lachlan Hawkins (d),
Tristan Rogers (Tpt), Kieran T. Stevenson (v)
Discography
Awards
2022 Nominated for the 2022 Freedman Awards among other 15 artists in Australia
2021 Finalist, Australian Jazz Bell Awards for Best Young Jazz Musicians Category
2020 Winner, APRA AMCOS & SIMA Emerging Composers Composition Commission for Sydney
Women’s International Jazz Festival
2020 Scholarship Recipient of National Assistance Program for the Arts,
Sydney Myer Fund & The Myer Foundation
2020 Finalist of the 8th Queensland Music Awards in Jazz Category
2019 Finalist of the 7th Queensland Music Awards in Jazz Category
2018 1st Place, International Composers Festival, Compfest (VIC)
2018 Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music Scholarship Fund
2017 7 Virtual Jazz Club: Global Contest for jazz musician - Semifinalist
2016 Academic Excellence Award in Masters of Music Studies, Griffith University
2015 QCGU Owen Fletcher Postgraduate Award in Composition, Griffith University
2015 Centrum Jazz Port Townsend Scholarship (Washington, USA)