After a national search, Fontana Chamber Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Sophié van der Westhuizen as its next Executive and Artistic Director.
“I am excited and deeply honored to join Fontana Chamber Arts and step into the role of leading this vibrant, treasured arts organization in Kalamazoo. I look forward to building on its legacy of presenting inspiring world-class chamber music and continuing to create meaningful musical experiences that will resonate and connect with our community, both new and longtime.” — Sophié van der Westhuizen
Sophié van der Westhuizen is an internationally recognized pianist, educator, and arts leader whose work bridges performance excellence with visionary leadership in music education and community engagement. A Steinway Artist, she performs globally, with a particular artistic focus on piano duo repertoire as one half of the acclaimed Westhuizen Duo, with her partner Pierre. Their performances—praised for “exceptional pianism through evocative coloring” and “superlative interpretative abilities” (CUE Magazine)—have been featured on major radio networks including NPR, WCLV, WGTE, and ClassicFM, and at leading venues and festivals worldwide.
In parallel with her performance career, Sophié currently serves on the faculty of Kalamazoo College, leads a thriving piano studio, and is a summer artist-teacher at Interlochen Arts Camp. Her leadership extends to the broader arts ecosystem through her role as Board Member and Chair of the Artistic Advisory Committee for the Stulberg International String Competition.
Previously, she served as Director of ArtsConnect for the Cleveland International Piano Competition. In this role, she planned and executed an annual summer concert series, organized special festival events, performances and masterclasses at the competition, and led continuous community engagement initiatives expanding access to high-level artistic programming. Her academic appointments have included faculty positions at Heidelberg University, Youngstown State University, Cleveland State University, Western Michigan University and The Music Settlement, reflecting a career-long commitment to cultivating the next generation of artists and teachers.
A sought-after clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Sophié regularly leads lecture-recitals and masterclasses at major conferences and festivals. Together with her duo partner, she has held guest artist and teaching residencies at premier institutions including the Cleveland Institute of Music, Colorado International Piano Festival, Chautauqua Piano Institute, Kent State University Piano Institute, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Their artistic achievements include fellowships at PianoTexas International Academy and recognition as Shouse Artists at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, as well as a commercial recording of works by Francis Poulenc for two pianos.
Through a career that seamlessly integrates performance, pedagogy, and organizational leadership, Sophié van der Westhuizen continues to shape artistic communities both on stage and behind the scenes.
