Sonja Larson grew up on a farm in Western Minnesota and graduated in 2014 with a degree in vocal performance from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wi. While at Viterbo, Larson researched Music in the Holocaust: A Means of Survival abroad in Poland with a summer research fellowship the culmination of which produced the song set, “End of the Line” composed by Mary Ellen Haupert to Larson’s poetry. She has presented her research at local and international conferences and retreats, including The 2013 National Conference for Undergraduate Researchers (La Crosse, Wi), The 5th Warsaw Conference for Young Judaic Studies Researchers (Warsaw, Poland), and Protest Music in the 20th Century (Lucca, Italy).
Larson participated in Canta in Italia, a month-long opera workshop in Lucca, Italy (June 2012) and was involved in the Viterbo Concert Choir, Platinum Edition Show Choir, the 9th Street Singers, and the St. Francis Chapel Choir (cantor).
Deeply passionate about her faith, Larson was actively involved in campus ministry and directed the 2014 Magnify Retreat. She was an intern at the 2014 Collegeville Conference on Music, Liturgy, and the Arts and has established a website with faith meditations, prayers, and poetry: www.leonarose.weebly.com. She has presented at religious conferences and retreats, including the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration 29th Annual Conference and the Franciscan Spirituality Center Annual Conference: Opening Doors to the Unexpected both in La Crosse, Wi.
She later continued her research with a Fulbright Student Research Grant, focusing on contemporary Jewish Social Music in Krakow, Poland. Through this grant, she also organized projects bridging geographic, generational, and cultural differences through music. These projects included the United International Virtual Choir which premiered during her talk at TEDxKazimierz, and a Peace in Motion, a multicultural music workshop which brought young people from the United States, Poland, and Israel to Krakow to sing, dance, and engage in dialogue together.
During her stay in Krakow, she served as cantor and co-fellowship leader in the St. Giles International Congregation, and music/media director for HCPT-Polska (the Polish branch of the Hosanna House Children’s Pilgrimage Trust), which brings disabled and disadvantaged children to Lourdes, France on an annual Easter pilgrimage. She continued this service after the end of her Fulbright grant, remaining in Krakow to teach English at several private language schools. She earned her Master’s degree in Theology at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado and served as a cantor at Risen Christ and St. Thomas More Catholic Parishes. She served as the soprano section leader in the Holy Name Catholic Parish Schola, where she had the honor of working with Adam Bartlett of Illuminare Publications in chant and polyphony.
She currently serves as Director of Faith Formation in the St. Isidore the Farmer Area Faith community in the rural community surrounding Benson, MN. She continues to cantor at local parishes, and speaks in the area on such topics as the Mass, Living Our Baptismal Priesthood, and Liturgical Music.
An avid freelance photographer and poet, she invites you to view her work: www.notesofworth.weebly.com
Passionate about educating others in her community and beyond, Sonja invites you to explore her research, poetry, photography, and stories on this website. However, she would be delighted to share her work with you in person, and if you would like to invite her to speak and/or perform at your church, school, organization, or upcoming event, please fill out the contact form with details.
Larson participated in Canta in Italia, a month-long opera workshop in Lucca, Italy (June 2012) and was involved in the Viterbo Concert Choir, Platinum Edition Show Choir, the 9th Street Singers, and the St. Francis Chapel Choir (cantor).
Deeply passionate about her faith, Larson was actively involved in campus ministry and directed the 2014 Magnify Retreat. She was an intern at the 2014 Collegeville Conference on Music, Liturgy, and the Arts and has established a website with faith meditations, prayers, and poetry: www.leonarose.weebly.com. She has presented at religious conferences and retreats, including the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration 29th Annual Conference and the Franciscan Spirituality Center Annual Conference: Opening Doors to the Unexpected both in La Crosse, Wi.
She later continued her research with a Fulbright Student Research Grant, focusing on contemporary Jewish Social Music in Krakow, Poland. Through this grant, she also organized projects bridging geographic, generational, and cultural differences through music. These projects included the United International Virtual Choir which premiered during her talk at TEDxKazimierz, and a Peace in Motion, a multicultural music workshop which brought young people from the United States, Poland, and Israel to Krakow to sing, dance, and engage in dialogue together.
During her stay in Krakow, she served as cantor and co-fellowship leader in the St. Giles International Congregation, and music/media director for HCPT-Polska (the Polish branch of the Hosanna House Children’s Pilgrimage Trust), which brings disabled and disadvantaged children to Lourdes, France on an annual Easter pilgrimage. She continued this service after the end of her Fulbright grant, remaining in Krakow to teach English at several private language schools. She earned her Master’s degree in Theology at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado and served as a cantor at Risen Christ and St. Thomas More Catholic Parishes. She served as the soprano section leader in the Holy Name Catholic Parish Schola, where she had the honor of working with Adam Bartlett of Illuminare Publications in chant and polyphony.
She currently serves as Director of Faith Formation in the St. Isidore the Farmer Area Faith community in the rural community surrounding Benson, MN. She continues to cantor at local parishes, and speaks in the area on such topics as the Mass, Living Our Baptismal Priesthood, and Liturgical Music.
An avid freelance photographer and poet, she invites you to view her work: www.notesofworth.weebly.com
Passionate about educating others in her community and beyond, Sonja invites you to explore her research, poetry, photography, and stories on this website. However, she would be delighted to share her work with you in person, and if you would like to invite her to speak and/or perform at your church, school, organization, or upcoming event, please fill out the contact form with details.
Invite Sonja Larson to speak or perform at your next event!
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