SPHINX20 Q Vol

The Quarter Note Summer 2017 SPHINX20 q Vol. 18, No. 3 2018 the epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity February 1 - 4, 2018 u Detroit, MI SAQA: January 31, 2018

Get inspired. Network. Lead. Photo: Kevin Kennedy We are excited to launch SphinxConnect 2018! This transformative initiative, made possible through key partnerships with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, provides opportunities and resources year round, culminating in the second annual epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity, Feb. 1-4, 2018 in Detroit, MI. Join hundreds of musicians, industry leaders, educators, funders, diversity advocates, and more for this transformative event! The convening will include over 30 sessions dedicated to diversity, featuring more than 60 speakers, and numerous special events. Those in attendance will connect to establish an important network to further diversity in our field. SphinxConnect also includes a curated showcase featuring some of the nation’s top Black and Latino musicians, mentor/mentee opportunities with leaders in the field, keynote addresses by luminaries and trailblazers, a series of webinars, and much more. SphinxConnect will also include the Sphinx Artists Qualifying Auditions (SAQA), which provide qualified musicians of color with the unique opportunity to play an audition for a panel of orchestra representatives from across the country. A pioneering event in the industry, SAQA provides training, mentorship, and resources to participating musicians, who are also known as Bank of America Fellows. The immediate aim of the initiative is to identify qualified talent for invitation to auditions, pre-advancement at auditions and/or placement on substitute player lists. Additionally, the auditions will align participating musicians with needed support, with the ultimate goal of job placement for musicians of color in American orchestras. With the support of Bank of America, Sphinx plans to welcome 25 partner orchestras to participate, along with the League of American Orchestras, to expand the impact of this important program.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in the global conversation of diversity in the arts – learn more about this exciting program and register now at www.SphinxConnect.org! Join Us for the 2017 SPHINX VIRTUOSI TOUR

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Sphinx Organization, Concerti per Venti offers a collection of concerti through the ages performed by the 18-piece self-conducted Sphinx Virtuosi. The tour will include the newly commissioned Guardian of the Horizon: Concerto Grosso for Violin, Cello, and Strings, by award-winning composer Jimmy Lopez. This work was co-commissioned by the Sphinx Organization, with the support of Linda and Stuart Nelson, Carnegie Hall, and New World Center in honor of Sphinx’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. The program will also feature Delights and Dances by Michael Abels, a three-movement work for string quartet and string orchestra (commissioned by Sphinx in 2012), Concerto Grosso by Vaughan Williams and Beethoven’s timeless Grosse Fugue. Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall October 13, 2017 at 7:00 pm 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 [email protected] or 734-255-7623 Sphinx Virtuosi Tour Schedule (subject to change) 9/28 New World Symphony, Performance Hall; 7:30pm - Miami, FL 9/29 Detroit Institute of Arts; 7:00pm - Detroit, MI 10/3 University of North Carolina, Kenan Auditorium; 7:30pm - Wilmington, NC 10/4 Mint Museum Uptown; 6:00pm - Charlotte, NC 10/13 Carnegie Hall, Stern Hall; 7:00pm - New York, NY 10/15 Kennedy Center, Terrace Theater; 2:00pm - Washington, DC Photo: Nan Melville 10/20 Hope College, Miller Center for Musical Arts; 7:30pm - Holland, MI 10/22 Ordway Center, Concert Hall; 3:00pm - St. Paul, Minnesota 10/25 University of Chicago, Logan Center for the Arts; 10:00am - Chicago, IL www.sphinxmusic.org/sphinx-virtuosi-tour/ 10/27 Wilson Center for the Arts, Harris Theatre; 8:00pm - Brookfield, WI 10/29 UniversityPhotos: Glenn of Michigan, Triest Rackham Auditorium; 4:00pm - Ann Arbor, MI 10/31 Grantmakers in the Arts, GM Renaissance Center; 10:00am - Detroit, MI Editor: Therese Goussy Contributors: Andre Dowell, Afa Dworkin, Jacqueline Jove, A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT Stephanie Matthews, Abigayl Venman Design & Layout: Julie Renfro Dear Friends,

We have reached the halfway point of our anniversary year! It has already been full of tremendous opportunity, honor, and growth.

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder I am proud to say that Sphinx’s voice and our message is being heard loud Special Artistic Advisor and clear, in our hometown of Detroit as well as nationally and globally. We Yo-Yo Ma recently had the opportunity to participate as a key player at the League of American Orchestras conference in Detroit, with sessions facilitated by our Chief Programming Officer Andre Dowell and myself, featuring Sphinx alumni. I was Honorary Committee also thrilled to join the opening of the sixth edition of Classical:NEXT, the world’s Branford Marsalis, Chair largest classical music meeting, in Rotterdam. It was an honor to learn from and with colleagues around the Glenn Dicterow globe and explore the immense power of the arts to unite, connect, and erase barriers. David Finckel Nikki Giovanni Summer is an exciting time for us as this is when our education programs, which lay the foundation of the Wu Han pipeline that we work to create for musicians of color, truly shine. We enjoyed seeing the spring recitals of Ida Kavafian our Overture elementary violin lessons, and are excited to embark on the second annual Overture summer Ani Kavafian camp which has been expanded to two weeks thanks to the generous lead support of the Max M. and Nigel Kennedy Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation. Our Sphinx Performance Academy programs will open their doors soon as Jaime Laredo well and, in this very special year, Sphinx is proud to have the Cleveland Institute of Music join Roosevelt Tania Leon University Chicago College of Performing Arts as a new home to SPA. Yo-Yo E. Ma Mark O’Connor Keep an eye out in this newsletter for opportunities to get involved and stay informed during this exciting Christopher O’Riley milestone year. It would not be a celebration without you, our dear friends and Sphinx familia! I hope you Itzhak Perlman all enjoy the rest of your summer, and I hope to see you soon at a Sphinx Virtuosi tour stop or SPA recital. Toby Perlman André Previn Warmly, Awadagin Pratt Bright Sheng Afa #SphinxStories i Anne Lambright Leonard Slatkin Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg “[For] my birthday, I wanted to do something meaningful. Both of my children have Arnold Steinhardt participated in the Sphinx Performance Academy, and the experience has been Michael Tilson Thomas transformational beyond words. George Walker My son, Guillermo Irizarry Lambright, says that it was in SPA that he began to believe Jeffrey Zeigler that becoming a musician was an achievable goal. He is now a sophomore, with a merit scholarship, at Oberlin. Guillermo also attended the recent SphinxConnect on one Board of Directors of your generous scholarships, and texted me throughout the weekend about what an William H. Carson, Chair inspiring experience that was. Tynnetta McIntosh, Vice Chair Deidre Lambert-Bounds, Treasurer My daughter, Maya Irizarry Lambright, is looking forward to her 3rd SPA this summer. Mary Beth Halprin, Secretary Maya is a freshman in high school and looking forward to studying violin in college. Faye Alexander Nelson Again, Sphinx has been fundamental in her progress towards this goal. Rachel Barton Pine Danielle Belen I held a Facebook fundraiser for Sphinx to celebrate my birthday. I am so happy to be Amy Burkholder able to support your many good works in this way, and we will continue to support you as Afa S. Dworkin we can in the future.” Kenneth Fischer A huge thank-you, and happy birthday, to Anne! Sandra Gibson Anthony Glover To hold a facebook fundraiser for Sphinx, visit facebook.com/fundraisers Howard Hertz Mercedes Martin Majorie Pearsall Sphinx Competition Vivian Pickard Presenter Marcelo Santos Remizov Beverly Willis Shaun Wilson Bloomberg Philanthropies

Stella & Frederick Loeb Charitable Trust ADMINISTERED BY Congratulations to the 2016-17 Overture Students! This spring wrapped up another successful school SPHINX NEWS year for the Sphinx Overture program. Students Over $180,000 in Sphinx MPower from 3 Detroit elementary schools and 9 Flint elementary schools performed in a series of recitals Grants Transformed the from May 10 through May 18. Sphinx is thrilled Careers of 15 Recipients to continue our programming this summer with a two week Overture Summer Camp at Brightmoor Launched to empower alumni of several Sphinx programs, Community Center in Detroit. Overture summer the MPower Artist Grants help recipients achieve their career objectives in classical music through granting students will perform in recital on Saturday, July 8 competitive scholarships. To learn more about the 2017 at 12pm: 14451 Burt Rd, Detroit, MI 48223. We recipients and their projects, please visit: extend a heartfelt thank you to the Brightmoor Community Center for hosting the camp and to www.SphinxMusic.org/mpower-artist-grants the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation and Ford Motor Company for their generosity in Sphinx Founder Aaron P. Dworkin and President Afa S. Dworkin received the Human Spirit Award at the Kennedy funding this program. Center 2017 Spring Gala. They were recognized as Citizen Artists for founding and leading Sphinx, along with fellow Announcing Sphinx Performance Academy 2017 award recipients Sanford and Joan Weill. Sphinx received the Distinguished Achievement Award at Following a competitive audition process, Sphinx Performance Academy (SPA) the 26th Annual Detroit Music Awards. Sphinx artist KDJ has once again invited 64 talented Black and Latino string players, ages 12-17, to Trio also performed at the event. hone their musical skills this summer. Hosted by Roosevelt University in Chicago Past Sphinx Board Member Judge Kurtis Wilder was and the Cleveland Institute of Music, the full-scholarship program features an recently named to the Michigan Supreme Court. intensive schedule that includes private lessons, quartet coachings and rehearsals, Sphinx MPower recipient and 2017 Sphinx Competition music theory, masterclasses, and performances. This summer’s programming Senior Division first place Laureate Annelle Gregory’s includes masterclasses with violinist Rachel Barton Pine and cellist Melissa Kraut, Rachmaninoff CD won USC’s $10,000 Discovery Scholar explorations into Recording Technology, and seminars on the college audition Prize. and application processes. Additionally, students will have an opportunity to hear Sphinx Performance Academy 2013 and 2014 student, SPA’s faculty in concert and to attend a Cleveland Orchestra concert in Severance Brandon Foster, is attending Carnegie Mellon University Hall. SPA programming takes place from June 30 through July 14 at Roosevelt and majoring in biology and viola performance. His University and July 23 through August 6 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. flute, viola, and harp trio, the Tartan Trio, won the 2017 Pittsburgh Concert Society Major Auditions and will be Please join us in supporting our students at their culminating recitals, which are performing in the Major Winner’s Recital on October 8th. free and open to the public. Friday, July 14 from 12-2pm CDT at Ganz Hall at Sphinx Special Artistic Advisor Yo-Yo Ma, Sphinx Founder Roosevelt University: 430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605. Sunday, August 6 Aaron Dworkin, and Sphinx Medals of Excellence recipient Lara Downes collaborated on a piece entitled “The Arts from 12-2pm EST at Mixon Hall at the Cleveland Institute of Music: 11021 East Wall.” The video of their performance has reached more Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106. than 110k views. Sphinx Medals of Excellence recipient Lara Downes received the 2017 UC Davis Innovator of the Year award for her Sono Luminus recording “America Again”, inspired Halfway Through Sphinx20! by the words of Langston Hughes and a vision for equality, diversity and unity, expressed through the blended history of How Can You Get Involved Today? American music. Sphinx Competition Senior Division Laureate Santiago Cañón-Valencia won third prize in the Queen Elisabeth ENGAGE WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Competition. Sphinx Organization @SphinxOrg @SphinxMusic Sphinx Competition Junior Division Laureate Joshua McClendon performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a guest soloist at a performance for the u Search #SphinxStories to read testimonials from our artists, alumni, friends League of American Orchestras conference in Detroit. and family – or share your own to join the 20 years, 2 million stories movement! Sphinx Virtuosi member Meredith Riley will join the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Richmond, Virginia. FIND A SPHINX VIRTUOSI CONCERT NEAR YOU u Sphinx artists Hannah White and Kayla Cabrera’s quartet, Our 2017 tour program is all about celebrating our 20th anniversary: Concerti Astera, received 2nd Place at the Fischoff National per Venti offers a collection of concerti through the ages. Competition and first prize in the International M-Prize u The national tour schedule can be found in this newsletter or at Competition. SphinxVirtuosi.org Send us your news and performance updates: [email protected] REQUEST A COPY OF OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR IN REVIEW u Email [email protected] with your mailing address to receive the special anniversary edition of our Year in Review, featuring a letter from our President, 20-year impact report, alumni testimonials, rare photos, and more! Sphinx Competition

BECOME A SPHINX20 AMBASSADOR CALL FOR ENTRIES! u Support Sphinx’s mission with a gift in a multiple of $20 ($20, $40, $60, etc) Apply NOW for the 21st annual Sphinx Competition for this summer and receive a Sphinx sticker young Black and Latino string players, presented by the u Post a picture of where you put your sticker with the hashtag #Sphinx20 DTE Energy Foundation! Enter for a chance to win cash and encourage your friends and family to get involved! prizes of up to $50,000 and the opportunity to solo with major orchestras throughout the United States. Registration You can make donations at www.SphinxMusic.org/donate or by mailing fee is $35. a check to 400 Renaissance Center Suite 2550 Visit Sphinx.MyReviewRoom.com for more info Detroit, MI 48243 Aaron P. Dworkin Founder 400 Renaissance Center Suite 2550 Detroit MI 48243

Something to Ponder:

“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”

-- Jimmy Carter

Q & A with Ifetayo Ali-Landing

14-year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing is the first place Laureate of the 20th annual Sphinx Competition Junior Division. Ifetayo has also recently been featured by The Root (www.TheRoot.com) and Positive News (www.positive.news).

Quarter Note: What inspired you to start playing the cello? Ifetayo Ali-Landing: My mother is a violinist and we are a musical family so I was definitely going to play an instrument. I started violin as soon as I could walk. When I was 4, I started on cello because I loved the sounds it could make and the fact that you could sit down the whole time. When I was 5, I dropped the violin.

QN: What do you like to do when you’re not performing? IAL: I love hanging out with friends, dancing, playing sports, computer coding, cooking, baking, acting, makeup, and trying new activities.

QN: If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why? IAL: This is a hard one because I have many favorites! I would have to say Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, xxxtentacion, TWENTY ØNE PILØTS, Young the Giant, TOMMY CASH, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, or Beyoncé because I really like their music.

QN: How has the Sphinx Competition impacted your life? IAL: The Sphinx Competition has had a huge impact on my life and my career as well. I now have the opportunity to perform with many orchestras and travel around the world, and become a better musician and all-around person. Not only has the Sphinx Competition helped me, but my time spent at the Sphinx Performance Academy has greatly improved my playing level. Photo: Kevin Kennedy