The Quarter Note Vol. 10, No. 1 Winter 2009

12th Annual Sphinx Competition Inaugural Sphinx Tour q Semi-Finalists Announced a Resounding Success

t has been over a decade since of Chesapeake, Virginia; James When asked how to get to Carnegie Hall, members of the Sphinx the first Sphinx Competition Zabawa-Martinez of Faribault, Chamber Orchestra would tell you practice, practice, Urbana, Chicago, forI young Black and Latino string Minnesota; Anna Maria Germantown, Granville, , State College, and more practice. As players. The competition that Litvinenko of Miami; Yvonne the inaugural Sphinx Chamber Orchestra stopped in eight cities from began in 1998 as the dream of Smith of Baltimore; and Kiyoe Chicago to Boston this fall, the performances received thunderous ap- an idealistic college student has Wellington of Kaneohe, Hawaii. plause and standing ovations from audiences, praise from presenters, spawned a national non-profit and glowing reviews in the press. organization, performances around The senior division includes the country, and has awarded more five violinists, two violists and Through eight performances and numerous community outreach and than one million dollars in prizes cellists, and one bassist. The ten in-school performances, more than 10,000 people experienced artistry and scholarships. semi-finalists in this division of the young musicians of the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra under the are: Jannina Barefield, Benjamin baton of Maestro Chelsea Tipton, II. This year the Sphinx Competition Harris, Nicole Leon, and Robyn presented by Chase will bring Quinnett of New York; Tony The New York Times heralded the Carnegie Hall concert as “lively,” nineteen of the nation’s best string Rymer of Boston; Whittney “virtuosic,” and “passionate.” One critic praised the orchestra, writing players to Southeast Michigan Thomas and Alejandro Duque “Their sound and style ride on exquisite technique, fresh and convincing seeking prizes, scholarships and of Los Angeles; John Martin enthusiasm, and the highest artistry.” A critic for the Chicago Sun-Times performance opportunities. The Sanderson of Bloomington, raved about the ensemble’s “tightly woven sound and palpable zest.” Competition begins on January 28 Indiana; Mildred Fernandez of Sphinx Founder and President Aaron P. Dworkin echoed that praise. in Ann Arbor and culminates in Cazenovia, New York; and Caleb “Ten years ago, a tour like this was a dream,” he said. “Today the tour the Finals Concert on February 1 Jones of Randallstown, Maryland. is not only a reality, but also a huge success, thanks to our young artists, in Detroit. presenters, and committed supporters!” Since the 1998 competition, The nineteen semi-finalists in Sphinx has been proud to count Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, Skillman Foun- the competition come from as many fine performers and dation, and Target Corporation generously supported the tour. Through far as Hawaii and range in age educators among the Sphinx leadership support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the orchestra from 17 to 26 years. The junior Competition jury panel. The five will tour again this fall and in 2010. division semi-finalists are: Khari jurors this year are Pamela Frank, Joyner of Atlanta; Alexandra a concert violinist and educator; See center of the newsletter for photos of the SCO tour. Also, check out Switala of Grapevine, Texas; Mary Andrés Díaz, a distinguished sphinxmusic.org/blog/sco.php to read more from the tour. Loftus and Michael Casimir of cellist and educator; violist Kim Philadelphia; Andrew Gonzalez Continued page 3 vvv 2009 Sphinx Competition Semi-Finalists vvv

Michael Casimir Andrew Gonzalez Khari Joyner Anna Maria Litvinenko Mary Loftus Yvonne Smith

Alexandra Switala Kiyoe Wellington James Zabawa-Martinez Jannina Barefield Alejandro Duque Mildred Fernandez Benjamin Harris

Caleb Jones Nicole Leon Tony Rymer Robyn Quinnett John Sanderson Whittney Thomas Editor: Stephan Bobalik Contributors: Stephan Bobalik, Tania McGee Design & Layout: Julie Renfro EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’s note

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Founder/President As we approach the 12th annual Sphinx Competition presented by Aaron P. Dworkin Chase, I am happy to welcome and congratulate all of our new and returning Semi-Finalists! Board of Directors Ruben Acosta, Chair Jenice Mitchell Ford, Vice-Chair I am also pleased to share that our Preparatory Music Institute at Anthony Glover, Treasurer Wayne State University wrapped up the fall semester with a success- Kurtis T. Wilder, Secretary ful and exciting student recital. Further, our Overture program saw Deidre Bounds Phil Cole a 40 percent increase in its enrollment this year—more evidence of Martha Darling Aaron P. Dworkin Kenneth C. Fischer Al McDonough the need for this important program. Daedra McGhee David Rudolph Beverly Willis I am excited to welcome our newest partner, the C. S. Mott Founda- tion. Their generous support will allow us to expand our partnership Board of Advisors Sanford Allen David Cerone with the Flint Institute of Music and create new opportunities for the Ronald A. Crutcher Dominique de Lerma young people we serve in Flint, Michigan. Matthew Derr Roberto Diaz Anthony Elliott Sandra Gibson On a serious note, surely few among us have been unaffected by the economic turmoil of the past Juanita Jackson Polly Kahn months. These trying times have taken their toll on many non-profit organizations, as well as the Christopher Kendall Christian Matjias Lolita Mayadas Charlene J. Mitchell organizations and individuals that support us. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of Sphinx is es- Lester Monts Willis Patterson sential to our ability to offer our much-needed programs, and is something that our Board of Direc- Juan Ramirez Stephen Shipps tors, staff and I take very seriously. As we begin this new year, I hope you will consider making a Albert Webster tax-deductible gift to support our programs. Making a gift only takes minutes at www.SphinxMusic. Honorary Committee org. On behalf of all of our artists, I sincerely thank you for your support during the past year, but Nikki Giovanni Ida Kavafian now, more than ever, your continued generosity is crucial to the success of our mission. Nigel Kennedy Jaime Laredo Yo-Yo E. Ma Branford Marsalis I wish you a happy and healthy new year filled with prosperity and joy. Mark O’Connor Christopher O’Riley Itzhak Perlman André Previn Michael Tilson Thomas Yours, George Walker © 2009 Sphinx Organization 400 Renaissance Center, Ste 2550 Tania McGee Detroit, MI 48243 313-877-9100 www.sphinxmusic.org [email protected] PHOTOS FROM THE INAUGURAL Sphinx Presenter SPHINX CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TOUR Nan Melville

Bingham Trust

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Mr. David Rockefeller Aaron Copland Fund C.S. Mott Foundation

The Loraine & Melinese Reuter Scherman Foundation The Kresge Foundation

Foundation Glenn Triest Leo Guthman Fund Lula C. Wilson Trust Claire Giannini Fund Max & Victoria Dreyfus Frank & Lydia Bergen Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Foundation Foundation Ken Fischer Sphinx Competition, cont. Sphinx Competition Kashkashian of New England February 1 in Detroit’s Orchestra FINALS CONCERT Conservatory; violinist and violist Hall. The nationally broadcast Patinka Kopec of the Manhattan concert will also feature the junior presented by School of Music; and pianist, division first-place Laureate and conductor, and educator Awadagin two past Sphinx Competition Pratt. winners performing with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra. The The Competition this year begins FEBRUARY 1, 2009 Orchestra will perform under the with the semi-final round at 2:00pm Orchestra Hall, Detroit baton of Detroit native Damon the ’s Gupton. 313-576-5111 Rackham Auditorium on www.sphinxmusic.org Thursday, January 29. Three junior Tickets to the Sphinx division finalists will compete Competition Finals concert on RESERVE YOUR SEATS! for their final ranking during the Sunday, February 1 at 2:00 pm TICKETS ONLY $12 Honors Concert at Rackham are available through the Detroit Auditorium on Friday, January Symphony Orchestra box office 30. Each will perform with the at (313) 576-5111 or www. SPHINX NEWS Sphinx Symphony Orchestra DetroitSymphony.com. in a concert attended by more The application deadline for the Sphinx than one thousand local school Sphinx is pleased to acknowledge children. The Honors Concert Chase as the presenting supporter Performance Academy at Walnut Hill is made possible by GMAC of the Sphinx Competition, as well School is April 6, 2009. For information on Financial Services and presented as GMAC Financial Services and live auditions, please contact the Dean of in partnership with the University General Motors for their support SPA, Chris Jenkins, at [email protected]; Musical Society. of the Competition, and the 313-877-9100, ext 711. Detroit Symphony Orchestra, host For three senior division finalists, of the Finals Concert at Orchestra the Competition will culminate Hall. in the Finals Concert on Sunday, Congratulations to 2004 Sphinx Laureate Joseph Conyers, who recently won a position in the bass PHOTOS FROM THE INAUGURAL section of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. SPHINX CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TOUR Gabriel Cabezas, Laureate of the 2007 Sphinx Competition is chronicling his transition from high school to college in a series of articles in Strings magazine. This fall Cabezas will enroll at the Curtis Institute of Music. Ken Fischer

Fresh from the SCO Tour, bassist Patricia Silva performed with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas in the Vatican’s Festival of Sacred Music

Andre Dowell and Art for an audience that included Pope Benedict XVI.

Roberto Arundale, a semi-finalist in the Andre Dowell 2008 Sphinx Competition, won the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition 16 to 18-year old division. Last summer, Roberto studied at the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Nan Melville

Andre Dowell The Harlem Quartet performed a recital at the Library of Congress in December. They played the recital on the Library’s quartet of Stradivarius instruments.

Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, 2008 Sphinx Jr. Laureate, performed as a soloist with the New World Symphony in December. Nan Melville Nan Melville CENTER STAGE Damon Gupton

made conducting appearances recently, Sidney Lumet’s Before with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Devil Knows You’re Dead. the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Q &A National Symphony Orches- Gupton was recently named Q. What African American tra, the Detroit Symphony, co-winner of the Third Eduardo conductor spent 25 years the Princeton Symphony, the Mata International Conducting at the helm of the Oregon Symphony and won the Toledo Symphony, the Orquesta Competition, held in Mexico national Medal of Arts for Filarmonica de UNAM, the City. Eighteen competitors his contribution to American New York University Orchestra, selected worldwide from more musical life as a distinguished and the Kinhaven Music School than one hundred applicants conductor? spent five days conducting in Weston, VT. Most recently, A. James DePriest, newly he was Assistant Conductor challenging programs for a a p p o i n t e d P e r m a n e n t with the Kansas City Sym- distinguished panel of judges. Conductor of the Tokyo phony from 2006 to 2008. Part of Gupton’s prize includes Metropolitan Symphony several conducting engagements Orchestra is Director of Conducting and Orchestral In addition to his success as a in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia Studies at the Julliard School conductor, Gupton has found and other Latin American and Laureate Music Director of success as an actor. After countries this season. His the Oregon Symphony. Widely esteemed as one of America’s or Damon Gupton, con- graduating from Michigan, other awards include the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize finest conductors, he has served ducting the Sphinx Sym- Gupton went on to the Julliard as Music Director of L’Orchestre phonyF Orchestra during the School to earn his diploma and The Aspen Conducting Symphonique de Québec, 12th annual Sphinx Competi- from the school’s Drama Divi- Prize. He is also the inaugu- Sweden’s Malmö Symphony, L’Orchestre Philharmonique de tion brings the accomplished sion in 1999. As an actor, he ral recipient of the Emerging has appeared in television and Artist Award from the Uni- Monte Carlo and the Oregon conductor and actor back to Symphony. Maestro DePriest his old stomping grounds. A film, as well as on stage. He versity of Michigan School has over 50 recordings to his native of Detroit, Gupton starred opposite Tony award- of Music Alumni Society. credit and is also a published graduated from Cass Tech winner Phylicia Rashad in the poet. high school and went on to world premiere of Tracey Scott In this issue of The Quarter the University of Michigan, Wilson’s critically acclaimed Note, we are proud to recog- where he earned a Bachelor The Story at New York’s Public nize the guest conductor of of Music Education degree. Theater. On television, he has the 2009 Sphinx Symphony appeared on Law and Order, Orchestra, Damon Gupton. Gupton has studied conduct- Conviction, Hack and Draft, ing with Detroit Symphony and was a principal cast member Music Director Leonard Slatkin of NBC’s Deadline. On film, he at the National Conducting has appeared in the 2002 drama Institute, as well as David Zin- Unfaithful directed by Adrian man and Murry Sidlin at the Lyne, the Loretta Claiborne

Aspen Music Festival. He has Story, Helen at Risk, and, most

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