Sophie Hastings

Sophie Hastings studied at the RNCM in Manchester and graduated in 1998. Since then, she has performed with many professional orchestras, TV and touring shows playing drum kit, Latin and orchestral percussion.

The orchestras include the City Of Birmingham Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Opera North, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet, Royal Scottish National and Scottish Chamber. Touring shows include The Producers, Oklahoma, The Lion King, Never Forget, Dirty Dancing, SHOUT!, Saturday Night Fever, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Beauty And The Beast and Footloose. TV credits include performances for Gary Barlow, Ice T, Emma Bunton, John Barrowman, Lulu, Mel B, Big Brovaz and Misteeq. Shows include Katherine Jenkins, Jane Macdonald, Leslie Garrett, Antony Costa, Jonathan Wilkes, Joe Longthorne and Kiri Te Kanawa.

In addition to her performing career, Sophie also teaches drum kit and Latin American percussion at Chetham's School of Music, the largest specialist music school in the UK. Sophie has furthered her own percussion education in Cuba studying Rumba, Comparsa, Mozambique and Salsa with Los Companadores de Batea, Clave y Guaguanco, Obba wemilere, AfroCuba de Matanzas,Yoruba Andabo, Justo Pelloditto and Jesus Cos - timbalero of Orchestra Sublime. She also has an interest in carnatic music having studied with Glen Velez and Lori Cotler.

Sophie is a member of 4-MALITY Percussion Quartet and is endorsed by Sabian cymbals.