Vol. 19, No. 3

The Quarter NoteSummer 2018

qAaron P. Dworkin Founder

the epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity

Join us for the third annual SphinxConnect convening, January 31 - February 2, 2019 in Detroit, MI. The epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity will celebrate and empower leadership with this year’s theme of Leaders Rising. Hundreds of musicians, industry leaders, educators, funders, diversity advocates, and administrators will gather for this transformative experience, and will connect to establish an important network to further diversity in our field. The event will feature over 30 sessions – with more than 60 speakers – designed to inspire and ignite action, and numerous special events and performances. Highlights include a curated showcase featuring some of the nation’s top musicians, keynote addresses by luminaries and trailblazers, a special session for entrepreneurs, professional development and job placement opportunities, and more.

Register now for this opportunity to engage as a leader and join in the global conversation of diversity in the arts at www.SphinxConnect.org!

The 2018 tour will feature an exciting new program entitled Music Without Borders, illuminating works by composers from communities searching for harmony and separated by time, distance, hardship and conflict. The tour will include works by Emmy nominated Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Gaspar Cassadó and will feature a new work by Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, co-commissioned by the Sphinx Organization, New World Symphony, Inc., and Carnegie Hall.

Join Us for the 2018 SPHINX VIRTUOSI TOUR

Sphinx Joins National Initiative to Increase Diversity in Orchestras

Engage with diversity in the arts. Experience the unifying influence of music.

Empower artistic excellence on one of the world’s greatest stages.

Don’t Miss the Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie HallThursday, October 11th at 6 o’clock pm

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Robert F. Smith

Gala level sponsors of Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall receive access to box seats as well as the exclusive afterglow reception, which includes cocktails, a strolling dinner, a photo station, and an opportunity to meet the artists. Sponsorships support Sphinx’s music education and outreach programs, as do any donations made in lieu of purchasing a ticket package. To reserve your Carnegie Gala tickets now or for more information, contact Therese Goussy at Therese@SphinxMusic.org or 734-255-7623.

SPHINXconnectLEADERS RISING 2019

Sphinx Virtuosi Tour Schedule09/30 2:00pm New World Symphony, Performance Hall; Miami, FL10/02 8:00pm Cleveland Institute of Music; Cleveland, OH10/04-05 Residency Curtis Institute of Music, NJ Sistema Alliance, Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth; Philadelphia, PA10/07 1:30pm Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; Boston, MA10/09 7:00pm Dartmouth College, Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center; Hanover, NH10/11 6:00pm Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium; New York, NY10/12 12:00pm Rockefeller University;New York, NY10/14 3:00pm Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, UMD; College Park, MD10/16-17 Residency Arts & Science Council; Charlotte,NC10/18 7:30pm University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Watson Hall; Winston-Salem, NC10/20 2:00pm Detroit Institute of Arts; Detroit, MI10/22 7:30pm Interlochen Center for the Arts; Interlochen, MI10/28 3:00pm Ordway Center for the Performing Arts; St. Paul, MN

Photo: Nan Melville

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Get inspired. Network.

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In an unprecedented national effort to increase diversity in American orchestras, Sphinx has joined forces with New World Symphony and the League of American Orchestras to

create the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS). Supported by a four-year, $1.8 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, along with additional financial and programmatic contributions from America’s orchestras, the Alliance will offer a holistic and personalized array of support to Black and Latinx musicians to develop their audition skills, increase their participation in auditions, and ultimately, increase their representation in orchestras.

The Alliance is advised by an Artists’ Council of Black and Latinx orchestral musicians currently consisting of 6 leaders in diversity and artist development/mentorship: Beverly Baker, Principal Viola, Virginia Symphony; John Lofton, Bass Trombone, LA Phil; Joy Payton-Stevens, Cello, Seattle Symphony; Erica Snowden, Cello, Akron Symphony & Erie Philharmonic; Alberto Suarez, Principal Horn, Kansas City Symphony; and Kenneth Thompkins, Principal Trombone, Detroit Symphony.

18 Black and Latinx string players participated in the first NAAS audition intensive June 6-8, 2018, hosted by the New World Symphony in Miami and led by faculty members Alex Kerr, Concertmaster, Dallas Symphony & Professor of Violin, Indiana University; Edward Gazouleas, Professor of Viola, Indiana University; Joy Payton-Stevens, Cello, Seattle Symphony; and Dr. Noa Kageyama, Performance Psychologist.

Additional information about the National Alliance for Audition Support is available online at www.auditionalliance.org.

(subject to change)

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

Editor: Therese GoussyContributors: Andre Dowell, Afa Dworkin, Jacqueline Jove, Dana McGarr, Johnnia Stigall, 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. Carson, M.D.Afa S. DworkinKenneth FischerSandra GibsonHoward HertzMercedes MartinMajorie PearsallVivian PickardMarcelo Santos RemizovBeverly WillisShaun WilsonTerry Woodard

Chairman EmeritusWilliam H. Carson, M.D.

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

Special Artistic AdvisorYo-Yo Ma

Sphinx CompetitionPresenter

Stella & Frederick LoebCharitable Trust

ADMINISTERED BY

MELLONTHEANDREW W.

FOUNDATION

Sphinx Virtuosi TourPresenter

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Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

SPHINX NEWSSphinx is thrilled to recognize former board chair William H. Carson, M.D., with the title of Chairman Emeritus. The Chairman Emeritus role is an honorary title in recognition of Dr. Carson’s tireless, visionary leadership and countless accomplishments for Sphinx.

Dana McGarr joins the Sphinx team from the Lyric Opera of Chicago. As Sphinx’s new Director of Artist Engagement, she will manage the Sphinx Virtuosi tour, Sphinx Soloist Program, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and the nationally renowned Sphinx Competition.

2017 Robert Frederick Smith Prize Winner Annelle Gregory has been selected to perform as a soloist at the Gabala International Music Festival this summer.

Sphinx Competition Laureate and Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient Christine Lamprea has accepted a one-year position at Texas Christian University as Lecturer in Cello while Dr. Jesus Castro-Balbi is away for an American Council on Education Fellowship.

2014 MPower Grant Recipients Rosalyn Story takes her opera Wading Home: an Opera of New Orleans, to South Africa. This work will be performed in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Pretoria. Music by Mary Alice Rich; Mary Alice Rich, Barbara Hill Moore, and Rosalyn Story co-librettist and co-producer.

Congratulations to Assistant Principal Bass Joseph Conyers who was honored with the annual C. Hartman Kuhn Award! The Award is given to “a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra who has shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standard and the reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Congratulations to 2014 Sphinx Medals of Excellence recipient Damien Sneed on the world premiere of his first commissioned opera, EMPOWER, performed on Thursday, May 31, 2018 at Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Sphinx Symphony alum Garrett McQueen recently joined the hosting team of Classical 24, a nationally-syndicated radio program produced by American Public Media and Public Radio International.

What a thrill to see this spectacular performance at the royal wedding! Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a member of the amazing Chineke! Orchestra, founded by Sphinx Symphony artist and our great friend Chi-chi Nwanoku. Congratulations, Sheku and Chineke Foundation on this unbelievable exposure!

Sphinx Competition alum Maria Romero has accepted an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Violin position, teaching Baroque strings and modern violin.

Sphinx Competition Laureate Randall Goosby won 1st prize in the Young Artist Competition hosted by the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra of Northern New Jersey and will perform with the orchestra during the 18/19 concert season.

SPA alum Seth Pae has been granted a Project Inclusion Fellowship at Grant Park for this summer where he will perform with the Grant Park Orchestraand receive mentorship from orchestra members.

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

A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Dear Friends,

Warmest greetings, and I hope everyone is enjoying some summer sunshine! Things are certainly heating up at Sphinx with some very exciting and historic firsts.

We are excited for our annual full-scholarship, intensive chamber music and solo performance program, Sphinx Performance Academy, to return to Cleveland Institute of Music in July. It is an honor as well to have Curtis Institute of Music join the family of artistic partners, launching the inaugural session of SPA at Curtis Summerfest in June.

An enormous milestone is the launch of our partnership with the League of American Orchestras and New World Symphony to create The National Alliance for Audition Support: a program that will support Black and Latinx musicians through a customized, holistic program of mentorship, audition preparation, financial support and audition previews. We were grateful to have this groundbreaking launch featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, and several other publications. As you’ll read in this newsletter, NAAS programming kicked off in June with an audition intensive workshop hosted by the New World Symphony.

Lastly, our annual Sphinx Virtuosi tour featuring Music Without Borders will begin in September. Please see the current tour schedule in this newsletter to ensure you catch the Sphinx Virtuosi in a city near you! Thank you to lead partners JPMorgan Chase and Robert Smith for making the tour possible.

Thank you, as always, for your support, advocacy, and enthusiasm for Sphinx’s mission! You make all of these transformative programs possible.

Warmly,

Afa

Congratulations to the 2017-18 Overture Students!

Over $95,000 in Sphinx MPower Grants Transformed the Careers of 14 Recipients

Launched to empower alumni of Sphinx programs, the MPower Artist Grants help recipients achieve their career objectives in classical music through granting competitive scholarships. The 2018 recipients’ projects illustrate the diversity of interests and goals in our alumni community. To learn more about the recipients and their projects, please visit:

www.SphinxMusic.org/mpower-artist-grants

Sphinx CompetitionCALL FOR ENTRIES!

Apply NOW for the 22nd annual Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players, presented by the DTE Energy Foundation! Enter for a chance to win cash prizes of up to $50,000 and the opportunity to solo with major orchestras throughout the United States. Registration fee is $35.

Visit www.SphinxMusic.org/sphinx-competition/ for more info

This spring wrapped up another successful school year for the Sphinx Overture program. Students from 3 Detroit elementary schools and 9 Flint elementary schools performed in a series of recitals from May 8 through May 22. Sphinx is thrilled to provide students with opportunities to continue their musical studies over the summer, with a two-week Overture Summer Camp at Gompers Elementary in Detroit, and by providing scholarships for Flint Overture students to attend music camp

and take lessons at the Flint Institute of Music. Detroit Overture summer students will perform in a public community recital on Friday July 27 at 2pm: 14450 Burt Rd, Detroit, MI 48223. We extend a heartfelt thank you to Gompers for hosting the camp and to the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation and Ford Motor Company for their generosity in funding this program.

SPA Returns to Cleveland and Debuts in PhiladelphiaFollowing the most competitive audition process in the program’s history, the Sphinx Performance Academy (SPA) has once again invited 64 talented Black and Latino string players, ages 11-17, to sharpen their musical skills this summer. SPA proudly returns to the Cleveland Institute of Music and announces a new partnership with the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. The full-scholarship program features an intensive schedule that includes private lessons, quartet coachings and rehearsals, music theory, masterclasses, and both student and faculty performances. This year’s enhanced curriculum will also include a new course, “Identity and Diversity in the Arts” and several enrichment classes on topics ranging from creating a practice routine and ensemble development to movement and improvisation. Students will have opportunities to perform in masterclasses for violinists Rachel Barton Pine and Nikki Chooi, violists Steven Tenebom and Lynne Ramsey, and cellists Richard Weiss and Brian Thornton. SPA programming takes place from June 10 through July 24 at Curtis and July 21 through August 4 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Please join us in supporting our students in their culminating recitals, which are free and open to the public. Sunday, June 24 from 12-2pm EST in Field Concert Hall at Curtis Institute of Music: 1726 Locust Street, Philadelphia PA 19103. Saturday August 4 from 12-2pm EST at Mixon Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music: 11021 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106.

SPA student quartet: Peirce, Alexis, Scarlet, and Iren

400 Renaissance CenterSuite 2550Detroit MI 48243

Somethingto Ponder:

“We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through what we give.”

-- Vernon Jordan

Sphinx Stories

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

On May 3rd, Carnegie Hall hosted three Sphinx alumni for their inaugural Laureates of the Sphinx Competition concert. Elena Urioste, Gabrial Cabezas, and Xavier Foley, joined by pianist Tom Poster, took the stage at Zankel Hall and received a glowing review from the New York Concert Review, which called their performances “technically assured,” “everything one would hope for,” and “a great evening of music.”

Elena Urioste, an alumna of the Sphinx Virtuosi, recipient of a Sphinx Medal of Excellence and Sphinx MPower Artist Grant, as well as a Laureate of the Sphinx Competition, called the concert “one of the most special evenings of music-making I can remember,” and “a night I will never forget.”

Top Photo: Laureates of the Sphinx Competition; pianist Tom Poster, violinist Elena Urioste & cellist Gabriel CabezasBottom Photo: Laureates of the Sphinx Competition; pianist Tom Poster & double bassist Xavier Foley Photos Credit: Pete Checchia