Sonia Marie De Leon de Vega, noted symphony and opera conductor has achieved distinction as a creative and consummate musician, as a woman in a groundbreaking career role, and as a leading influence in the growing Latino culture in the United States.  Her musical talents have inspired a large following in Southern California through live orchestral presentations, as well as an international audience through televised performances in the United States, Latin America and Europe.  She was the first woman in history to receive a Vatican invitation to conduct a symphony orchestra at a Papal Mass.  Univision, Mervyns, and Target named her Outstanding Latina of the Year in 2000.  Hispanic Business Magazine voted her one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States in 2001 and 2005. In April 2005 Hispanic Business Magazine named her in their “80 Elite Women” list. Most recently she was named “Business Woman Of The Year in Arts And Entertainment” by Senator Jack Scott and Assemblywoman Carol Liu.

De Leon de Vega is most closely associated with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra. She was also the Producer and Music Director for the annual Opera Under the Stars concert in Los Angeles, a venue credited with launching the careers of many young operatic vocalists.  And she is celebrated in educational circles for creating the dynamic Discovering Music program that takes orchestra members into elementary schools in underserved Latino neighborhoods to introduce children to classical music and the instruments of the orchestra. This program also includes a choral component with weekly choral rehearsals with three community children choirs and two yearly presentations in such venues as Thorne Hall at Occidental College.

Born in San Antonio, De Leon de Vega is the daughter of actress/producer Sonia De Leon and singer/guitarist Reynaldo Sanchez. At the age of four De Leon de Vega moved to Los Angeles, California, where she was raised and began her musical training becoming an accomplished pianist and organist. While always distinguishing herself academically her graduate studies lead her to love and specialize in conducting studies with Dr. David Buck.  She also trained at the Herbert Blomstedt International Institute for Instrumental Conductors and at various American Symphony Orchestra League workshops with Otto Werner Mueller, Maurice Abravanel, Pierre Boulez, Andre Previn, Zubin Metha and Ricardo Muti.  De Leon de Vega has been a guest conductor for many orchestras and opera companies and has developed concerts and children’s music workshops for the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times in August 2000 has described her performances as “conducting with sweep and energy” and the Beverly Hills Outlook in July 2001 noted that she “is a thunderbolt and a force to be reckoned with on the musical scene.”

Under the leadership of De Leon de Vega, Santa Cecilia Orchestra and the Discovering Music program have attracted the sponsorship of noted foundations and institutions, including the Annenberg Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. De Leon de Vega’s accomplishments have been recognized in a variety of media venues, including La Opinion, Vista Magazine, Latina Style, Hispanic Magazine, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, Latina Magazine and “Despierta America”.

Ms. De Leon de Vega is profiled in the book “Latina Power” by author Ana Nogales. The book is a new release (2004) by New York publisher Simon and Schuster.