Sonia Santiago

Assistant Professor of Music | Director of Choral Activities

School: College of the Arts
Department: Music
Sub-department(s): Music (UG)
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joined: 2018

Biography

Performing artist and veteran educator Sonia Santiago is a distinguished music educator and voice instructor and has one of the most sought-after voice studios in South Florida. As an accomplished voice instructor, she emphasizes vocal freedom through healthy vocal technique in all genres. This carries through to her work with ensembles and choirs throughout the state. She believes that bringing sound vocal technique into the choral rehearsal is not only essential in healthy development but paramount in producing the highest level experience for both the singer and the audience. Her services as a vocal clinician, conductor, and adjudicator are in great demand throughout Florida and the southeastern United States.

Mrs. Santiago currently serves as Adjunct Instructor of Voice and Popular Music at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL, where she teaches voice to music majors of various disciplines and directs the Pop Vocal Ensemble. The Ensemble was recently featured alongside international artist Rob Kapilow as they presented “Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas” at the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach. Prior to returning to her position at the university, she served as Director of Vocal Arts for the nationally acclaimed Conservatory of the Arts at The King’s Academy in West Palm Beach, FL for twelve years. In this highly successful and well recognized conservatory program, she inspired countless young artists who are now pursuing careers in the industry. Her choirs regularly received Superior ratings at both the District and State FVA performance assessments, earning the coveted Superior with Distinction. In the Fall of 2018, Sonia joined the amazing staff of the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches in residence at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, where she continues her work with young vocal artists.

Sonia has thrilled audiences worldwide with her rich lyric mezzo-soprano voice. She is an artist that is as much at home on the operatic stage as in the concert hall. Since her much-praised debut with the late conductor Anton Guadagno and the Palm Beach Opera, she has gone on to entertain audiences throughout the US, Europe, Japan, and South America.

Born in Miami, Florida, Sonia Santiago is the daughter of Cuban immigrants. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Florida, and a master’s degree in vocal performance from Florida State University. Sonia and her husband Felix call West Palm Beach home, where they reside with their three sons Nicholas, Christopher, and Jonathan. Her son Christopher, a talented singer and trumpeter, can be heard regularly on Legends Radio 100.3 FM, and is the Young Artist Award Winner of the Society for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook.

Degrees

MM in Music Performance- Voice, Florida State University | BM in Music Education, University of Florida