Sofya Gulyak is a renowned pianist and professor who has won numerous prestigious awards and prizes, including the 1st prize and Princess Mary Gold Medal at the Sixteenth Leeds International Piano Competition, becoming the first woman to achieve this distinction. She has performed in prestigious venues worldwide and has collaborated with renowned conductors, such as Vladimir Ashkenazy and Mark Elder. Sofya has released several highly acclaimed albums and has been praised for her "tremendous precision and coloration" and "exquisite soft playing." She has taught masterclasses in several countries and is currently a professor of piano at the Royal College of Music in London. Her playing has been broadcast on radio and TV in many countries and she has been invited to be a jury member at international piano competitions.