Sophie Davis (she/her/hers), is a founding member and Artistic Director of Halcyon, a Maine-based musician’s collective dedicated to using music and the arts to raise awareness of climate change.

Originally from Waldoboro, Maine, Sophie received degrees in Violin Performance and Environmental Studies from Oberlin College and Conservatory.

In 2017, she was awarded a Fulbright Research Grant to spend nine months in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa where she explored the ways in which the arts can raise awareness of climate change. In addition to pursuing research, Sophie taught and performed with the National Orchestra of Samoa. After returning to the U.S., Sophie worked for several months on tall ships as both a crew member and climate change artist. Her most recent voyage brought her to the Lesser Antilles where she collected underwater sound footage of whale song for use in an upcoming project. Playing and sharing music are integral to Sophie’s creative and professional practice. She has collaborated with students in Australia and India; singers, oud players, and composers in Jordan; ministry choirs and percussionists in Samoa; and fiddlers and classically trained musicians throughout the United States. 

Sophie has participated in the Perlman Chamber Music Workshop, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Program, as a soloist with Oberlin’s Contemporary Music Ensemble, and with her sister on NPR’s From the Top. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Symphony Hall, the Monte Music Festival in India, and with the Jordan National Orchestra (JOrchestra) in Amman, Jordan.  Upcoming projects include "Rise Up!" – a multimedia performance in collaboration with artist Jill Pelto and videographer/violinist Luke Fatora that raises awareness of the impacts of sea level rise in Midcoast Maine. 

Sophie is honored to serve on the panel for Tidal Shift and is looking forward to being a part of such a creative and inspiring team of artists and activists. Tidal Shift's mission of raising awareness of climate change through the arts inspires the resilience, empathy, and understanding we will need to face our future of uncertainty and opportunity.

In addition to her work with Halcyon, Sophie serves as violin faculty and chamber music coordinator at Bay Chamber Music School in Rockport. She performs throughout New England with Halcyon, Take 4, as a duo with her sister, and as a guest with the Portland-based chamber orchestra, Palaver Strings. Sophie lives in Rockland and feels fortunate to be able to spend a great deal of time exploring outside, hiking, squidding, biking, swimming, and sailing along the coast of Maine.