In February, Sphinx brought 19 of the nation’s top young Black and Latino string players to Detroit for the 21st annual Sphinx Competition. This year’s competition was filled with amazing performances by our semi-finalists, laureates, and Sphinx’s first-ever professional vocal ensemble, EXIGENCE.

22-year-old violinist Rubén Rengel, a student at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, was named first place Laureate of the Senior Division on Sunday, February 4, 2018. He will receive the $50,000 Robert Frederick Smith prize and a custom-made gold bow by Berg Bows International, as well as the opportunity to be featured with Sphinx Soloist Program Partners – including a June performance with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Cellist Gabriel Martins won the $20,000 second place prize, and violinist Randall Goosby won the $10,000 third place prize. Randall was also the recipient of Sphinx’s Audience Choice Award sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.

17-year-old cellist Levi Powe, from Tucson, AZ, became the first place Laureate in the Junior Division Sphinx Competition on Friday, February 2, 2018. Levi will receive a $10,000 award and have the opportunity to be featured with Sphinx Soloist Program Partners. Violinist Sophia Ayer won the $5,000 second place prize and violist Sophia Inés Valenti won the $3,000 third place prize.

The culmination of the weekend was the Sphinx Competition Finals Concert at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center. The Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Carlos Miguel Prieto and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Financial Servies, was featured in a brilliant and exciting performance of Ginastera’s Danza Final, Malambo from Estancias. The concert was brought to a close with a deeply moving collaborative performance of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives featuring the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra and EXIGENCE, under the direction of founding conductor Eugene Rogers.

Violinist Rubén Rengel and Cellist Levi Powe Win Top Prizes at the 21st Annual Sphinx Competition

presented by the DTE Energy Foundation

Impacting Communities Across America: 2018 Sphinx Virtuosi National Tour

The Sphinx Virtuosi, presented by JPMorgan Chase & Co., will embark on their 11th National Tour this fall. This year’s tour program, entitled Music without Borders, illuminates works by composers from communities searching for harmony and separated by time, distance, hardship and conflict. The aim of the program is to use music to unite; to share inspiration from diverse voices that remind us of our common humanity. The tour will include works by Emmy nominated Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom, Dmitri Shostakovich, Gaspar Cassadó, and features a newly commissioned work by Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter and composer, Terence Blanchard.

The other key aspect of the Sphinx Virtuosi tour is community engagement through school visits and performances, providing students an amazing educational opportunity and in many cases their first interaction with classical music. Teachers and administrators have shared that students are truly impacted by the experience, leaving feeling inspired and excited about classical music.

There are a few available dates remaining to book the Sphinx Virtuosi for a performance date or coordinate an outreach visit. Available booking dates include Sep 28-Oct 6, Oct 18-19, and Oct 22-26. If you are interested in booking the Sphinx Virtuosi for the 2018 Sphinx Virtuosi tour, please contact California Artists Management (www.calartists.com).

“All in all, this reviewer has not felt so heartened by a group of young musicians since hearing the early recordings of Gustavo Dudamel with the young players from El Sistema, electrically charged performances of as high a caliber as any other professional group, but with the vital energy of a life-and-death mission.” - Roriane Schrade New York Concert Review

Thanks to the generous support of Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Vista Equity Partners, for his historic pledge of $1M to sustain the Sphinx Virtuosi Tour over 10 years! Through this gift Sphinx will continue to have an impact in communities across the country for years to come.

Vol. 19, No. 2

The Quarter NoteSpring 2018

qAaron P. Dworkin Founder

Photos: Kevin Kennedy

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SPHINX NEWSA NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Dear La Familia:

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of spring, this inspiring season of renewal and new beginnings!

The Sphinx Team and I could not have been more grateful for each individual who attended SphinxConnect, the epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity, and the 21st annual Sphinx Competition. I was energized by thought-provoking discussions, humbled by the stories and ideas of my fellow attendees, and truly moved by the enormous sense of community that was ever-present throughout these events.

So we move, more galvanized than ever, into our next season of programming! We will soon celebrate the progress of our beginning students when our Detroit and Flint Overture programs hold their spring recitals. For our students aged 11-17, applications for our intensive summer music program, Sphinx Performance Academy, are currently open and we are excitedly preparing for two amazing sessions with top conservatory partners – Curtis Institute of Music and Cleveland Institute of Music – and a stellar faculty.

As always, we thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm, which lifts us up in everything we do.

Warmly,

Afa

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

Editor: Therese GoussyContributors: Andre Dowell, Afa Dworkin, Jacqueline Jove, Stephanie Matthews, Abigayl Venman

Design & Layout: Julie Renfro

Honorary CommitteeBranford Marsalis, ChairGlenn DicterowDavid FinckelNikki GiovanniWu HanIda KavafianAni KavafianNigel KennedyJaime LaredoTania LeonYo-Yo E. MaMark O’ConnorChristopher O’RileyItzhak PerlmanToby PerlmanAndré PrevinAwadagin PrattBright ShengLeonard SlatkinNadja Salerno-SonnenbergArnold SteinhardtMichael Tilson ThomasGeorge WalkerJeffrey Zeigler

Board of DirectorsTynnetta McIntosh, ChairMary Beth Halprin, Vice ChairDeidre Lambert-Bounds, TreasurerAnthony Glover, SecretaryFaye Alexander NelsonRachel Barton PineDanielle BelenAmy BurkholderWilliam H. CarsonAfa S. DworkinKenneth FischerSandra GibsonHoward HertzMercedes MartinMajorie PearsallVivian PickardMarcelo Santos RemizovBeverly WillisShaun WilsonTerry Woodard

© 2018 Sphinx Organization400 Renaissance Center, Ste 2550Detroit, MI 48243 313-877-9100info@SphinxMusic.orgwww.SphinxMusic.org

Special Artistic AdvisorYo-Yo Ma

SAVE THE DATES!2018

Sphinx Performance Academy application deadline: April 11Overture Recitals: May 2018

SPA at Curtis Summerfest: June 10 - 24SPA at Cleveland Institute: July 21 - August 4

Sphinx Virtuosi National Tour: September 27 - October 29Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall: October 11

Sphinx Competition application deadline: November 5

201922nd Annual Sphinx Competition and SphinxConnect:

January 30 - February 3

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Presenter

Stella & Frederick LoebCharitable Trust

ADMINISTERED BY

Bloomberg Philanthropies

MELLONTHEANDREW W.

FOUNDATION

Sphinx Virtuosi TourPresenter

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Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

As a unique opportunity, the Sphinx Orchestral Partners Audition (SOPA) welcomed musicians to to play an audition for a panel comprising the following orchestras on

January 31st!

Arkansas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, Cincinnati Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Grant Park Music Festival, Iris Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Memphis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony

SOPA is made possible through the support of Bank of America

February 1st saw the launch of SphinxConnect 2018, the second annual epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity. Sphinx welcomed a record number of attendees to Detroit’s famed Renaissance Center for this transformative convening, including hundreds of musicians, industry leaders, educators, students, funders, diversity advocates, and more.

This year’s conference was the largest in Sphinx’s history! By the numbers, SphinxConnect 2018:

n welcomed more than 600 attendeesn presented over 60 speakers, comprising leaders, innovators, and trendsetters in the fieldn produced the 1st pre-conference workshop on teaching artistry with Eric Boothn provided attendees with the opportunity to attend 30+ sessions and eventsn encouraged connections and networking at 2 receptions

Highlights of the convening included:

n an opening plenary by Sphinx founder Aaron P. Dworkinn a closing plenary featuring a world premiere of a collaboration between violinist DBR and movement artist Lil Buckn Sphinx Artist Showcase, presenting diverse repertoire and performers to managers, presenters, and industry leadersn opportunities to connect with new projects and organizations at the Expo Halln master classes with Sphinx Competition jury members

The conference was a transformative experience for those in attendance: from important connections, professional and educational development, to ideas and actions. You won’t want to miss near year’s convening! Save the date: Jan. 30 - Feb. 3, 2019. For more information, or to watch videos of past sessions, visit www.SphinxConnect.org.

EXIGENCE, a professional vocal ensemble that highlights the artistry within Black and Latino communities, launched in conjunction with SphinxConnect and the 21st annual Sphinx Competition. Led by founding conductor Eugene Rogers, the mission of EXIGENCE is to promote excellence and diversity through choral music within Black and Latino communities.

The musicians of EXIGENCE offered numerous performances during their launch, including concerts at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the historic Hartford Memorial Baptist Church where audience raved about their musicianship and ability to excel across numerous genres. To view footage of these exciting performances, visit www.ExigenceVocalEnsemble.org. This exciting ensemble breaks barriers - if you are interested in presenting this historic group in the future, please email Exigence@SphinxMusic.org.

This last weekend at SphinxConnect changed

my life. I was inspired by so many great artists, teachers, and colleagues.

I got to meet and network with so many great musicians of color. But most of all, I received confirmation that what I do

is worth it.-- Cremaine Booker

SphinxConnect Fellow

2018 Senior Division First Place Laureate Rubén Rengel was featured in an interview on Violinist.com.

2017 Junior Division First Place Laureate, cellist Ifetayo Ali, will perform and share personal stories with NPR’s From the Top on March 19th. Airtime will vary by local NPR stations.

Sphinx Founder Aaron Dworkin will join Danny Glover and Delroy Lindo at Inaugural From the Fire Summer Leadership Academy for Young Men of Color at Princeton University

Classical music radio show Performance Today featured Michael Abels’ Delights and Dances, commissioned by Sphinx in 2007, in a segment hosted by Sphinx Medals of Excellence alum Jade Simmons.

Sphinx Medals of Excellence alum Carla Canales, Founder/Director of The Canales Project, has launched a new initiative entitled Hear Her Song. Created to celebrate stories of remarkable women leaders, the initiative brings together an extraordinary array of musical artists, offering powerful insights into women’s leadership worldwide.

SPHINX PERFORMANCE ACADEMY applications are open!

Application Deadline:Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Visit SphinxPerformanceAcademy.org for details

SPA at Curtis SummerfestJune 10- 24, 2018

SPA at Cleveland Institute of MusicJuly 21- August 4, 2018

Send us your news and performance updates: QuarterNote@SphinxMusic.org

SPHINXconnect

Sphinx Overture students are having a very exciting spring semester! Sphinx Artists Elena Urioste and Javier Orman, and Guest Artist Mollie Westbrook visited Overture classes in Detroit and Flint elementary schools. Students listened to our guest artists perform and worked on movement, improvisation, teamwork, and ensemble skills. They even composed their own short pieces and practiced playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with our guests. Isis Pasco, a Maybury Elementary student who is the sponsored Overture Scholar of the Greater Wayne County Chapter of Links, Inc., was excited to learn: “I like how we do Twinkle Twinkle Little Star because I always wanted to play it on violin.” In addition, Overture students from Maybury Elementary attended the Sphinx Competition Honors Concert and got to see their teacher perform in the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra. We look forward to hearing all of our Overture students perform in their end-of-year recitals this May!

400 Renaissance CenterSuite 2550Detroit MI 48243

Somethingto Ponder:

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”

-- Madam C.J. Walker

Sphinx Stories

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder