Vol. 19, No. 3

The Quarter NoteFall 2018

qAaron P. Dworkin Founder

Photos: Glenn Triest

The three musicians who will receive the Sphinx Medal of Excellence in 2019, along with a $50,000 career grant, are double bassist Joseph H. Conyers, soprano Raquel González and baritone Will Liverman. This group of honorees represent two firsts for the Sphinx Medals of Excellence: the first double bassist and the first male vocalist to receive the award.

Sphinx annually honors three emerging Black or Latinx classical musicians with the Sphinx Medal of Excellence. Through a national nomination process, Sphinx identifies musicians early in their professional career who demonstrate the following qualities: artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination and ongoing commitment to leadership. The recipients each receive a $50,000 career grant, bestowed in Washington D.C. at a private luncheon hosted by The Kennedy Center and the Aspen Institute, and celebrated at a black-tie gala. The eighth annual Sphinx Medals of Excellence celebration will take place on March 20, 2019.

For more information about the Medals of Excellence and to read the honoree bios, visit SphinxMusic.org/sphinx-medals-of-excellence

Congratulations to Our 2019 Sphinx Medals of Excellence Recipients

In Washington, D.C., three musicians will receive Sphinx Medal of Excellence and $50,000 career grant

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DON’T MISS the Sphinx Virtuosi

at Carnegie HallThursday, October 11 at 6pm

Catch the Sphinx Virtuosi on one of the world’s greatest stages! For this performance only, Sphinx’s first vocal ensemble – EXIGENCE, led by Eugene Rogers – will be a featured guest artist, joined by pianist and Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient Damien Sneed.

Parquet, Dress Circle, and Balcony tickets are available through Carnegie Hall: visit CarnegieHall.org,

call CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800,or visit the Carnegie Hall Box Office

at 57th Street and 7th AvenueGet 25% off tickets with code SPH29960

For group reservations:Please contact Abigayl Venman

Abigayl@SphinxMusic.org or 313-877-9100 x715

Box seat tickets and Gala packages are available through Sphinx:

Proceeds from box seat ticket sales and gala packages directly support Sphinx’s music education programs. Reserve

gala tickets at greenvelope.com/event/SVCarnegie18,or contact Therese@SphinxMusic.org.

Sphinx Virtuosi Tour 2018

Sphinx Virtuosi Tour Schedule (subject to change)9/30 New World Center, Performance Hall; 2pm - Miami, FL10/2 Cleveland Institute of Music; 8pm - Cleveland, OH10/7 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; 1:30pm - Boston, MA10/9 Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College; 7pm - Hanover, NH10/11 Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium; 6pm - New York, NY10/12 Rockefeller University; 12pm - New York, NY10/14 The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland; 3pm College Park, MD10/16-17 Arts & Science Council; Residency - Charlotte, NC10/18 University of North Carolina School of the Arts; 7:30pm - Winston-Salem, NC10/20 Detroit Institute of Arts; 2pm - Detroit, MI10/22 Interlochen Center for the Arts; 7:30pm - Interlochen, MI10/24 Flint Institute of Music; 7:30pm - Flint, MI10/25 Canterbury School; 7pm - Fort Wayne, IN10/28 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts; 3pm - St. Paul, MN

For more information about the tour, including how to purchase tickets, please visit SphinxVirtuosi.org. The national Sphinx Virtuosi tour is made possible with the generous support of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Robert F. Smith, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts/Art Works and Aetna.

One of the nation’s most dynamic professional chamber orchestras is coming to a city near you!

This year’s tour features an exciting new program entitled Music Without Borders. By illuminating works by composers from communities searching for harmony and separated by time, distance, hardship and conflict, we seek to share our inspiration from the diverse voices that remind us of empathy and our common humanity. The tour will include works by Emmy-nominated Syrian-American composer Kareem Roustom, Dmitri Shostakovich, Gaspar Cassadó, and a newly commissioned work by Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard.

Annelle Gregory and Thomas Mesa are featured soloists on the 2018 Sphinx Virtuosi tour. Both are Sphinx Competition 1st

Place Laureates and Robert Frederick Smith Prize winners, and Annelle was the 2016 and 2017 winner of the Audience Choice

Award, sponsored by longtime Sphinx supporter Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.

Joseph H. Conyers

Raquel González

Will Liverman

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, Secretary

Chairman EmeritusWilliam H. Carson, M.D.

Faye Alexander NelsonRachel Barton PineDanielle BelenWilliam H. Carson, M.D.Afa S. DworkinKenneth FischerSandra GibsonHoward HertzMercedes MartinMajorie PearsallVivian PickardBeverly WillisShaun WilsonTerry Woodard

© 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

Bloomberg Philanthropies

MELLONTHEANDREW W.

FOUNDATION

Sphinx Virtuosi TourPresenter

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Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

SPHINX NEWSMedal of Excellence recipient Damien Sneed has released a new CD set: The Three Sides of Damien Sneed: Classical, Jazz and Sanctified Soul. Several tracks also feature Sphinx Competition Laureate and Sphinx Virtuosi alum Randall Goosby.

Elena Urioste (Sphinx Competition winner, Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient) and Melissa White (Sphinx Competition winner, Sphinx Virtuosi alum) have been selected as Lumos Fellows by Turn the Spotlight, whose mission is to identify, nurture, and empower leaders – and in turn, to illuminate the path to a more equitable future in the arts.

NBC Nightly News featured the National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS) in a nationally-broadcast segment about the inaugural NAAS audition intensive hosted by New World Symphony in June 2018 and the alliance’s efforts to increase diversity in American orchestras.

Sphinx board of directors member Rachel Barton Pine & her foundation have launched an online directory of living black composers. Many Sphinx family members are included in this great resource! Learn more at MusicByBlackComposers.org.

Congratulations to Sphinx board member Faye Alexander Nelson on her appointment as Director of Michigan programs at the WK Kellogg Foundation.

Sphinx Competition Laureate Gabriel Martins won first prize at 2018 Orford Music Award Competition in Orford, Quebec, Canada.

Sphinx Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Maureen Conlon Gutierrez has been named concertmaster of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania.

Sphinx President Afa S. Dworkin was featured in an Azeri newspaper called Kaspi, in a piece titled ‘Happiness: A Rich Collection of Moments’. The article features a discussion on Afa’s love of classical music from a young age, the importance of family and her lifelong partnership with Sphinx founder Aaron Dworkin, the birth and growth of Sphinx, and more.

Sphinx Founder Aaron Dworkin launched ArtsShare, an online platform that permits artists to share their arts in exchange for anything from housing to studio space, performance opportunities, meals, transportation and more. See more at ArtsShare.com.

Sphinx is honored and excited to be a Knight Arts Challenge Finalist! For the 2018 Knight Arts Challenge, Sphinx is proposing Sphinx artist residency in Detroit and the commission of a new work by Sphinx Alumnus, violinist and composer, Jessie Montgomery. The new work will explore the Great Migration through Montgomery’s familial history; the community residency will bring the artistically acclaimed Imani Winds Quintet and Catalyst Quartet together to premiere the work in Detroit through a series of community concerts and workshops.

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

A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Dear Friends,

My warmest greetings to you as summer draws to a close! Autumn is a season of change, and we at Sphinx are looking forward to shifting focus to our fall programming and some exciting upcoming projects and developments.

Our annual Sphinx Virtuosi tour is always an eagerly anticipated highlight of the year for me. This year, we have brought together 18 of the nation’s top Black and Latinx classical soloists – including alumni of the Sphinx Competition and Sphinx Performance Academy – to tour the country, visiting 13 cities for performances, residencies, and community outreach. I am so grateful to our lead sponsors,

JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Robert F. Smith, for giving life and momentum to this program. There are hardly words to portray the true depth of the tour’s impact, which weaves Sphinx’s mission into the fabric of communities nationwide; imparting the power of diversity in performers, programming, and audiences; and instilling a passion for those ideals in people of all ages and walks of life. Particularly close to my heart is the Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall performance and gala – not only does this performance take place on one of the world’s most legendary stages, but it will feature Sphinx’s first vocal ensemble, EXIGENCE, as a special guest artist. The full tour schedule and ticketing information for the Carnegie performance can be found in this newsletter; I ask you to join us if you can for a tour stop near you, and to help us spread the word!

We continuously reflect on ways to grow our programming to better serve our artists and carry out our mission, and in this newsletter you will find a number of evolutions and updates, as well as an entirely new program. We share each of these triumphs with you, our Sphinx family. Please know that you have played an integral role by standing alongside us and strengthening us with your support and advocacy.

Warmly,

Afa

#SphinxStories i Alexander Pualani, 2018 SphinxConnect Fellow“I was able to attend [SphinxConnect] last year as a Fellow, and it was life changing. I was able to bring the information back to my organization where I teach 95 classical music students of color. As a musician of color in the Pacific Northwest, these types of opportunities are few and far between. I was able to receive so much information and meet so many people; I went to a session every block that was available and wished that I could have gone to even more. I have to return to continue this work and be a bigger part of the conversation.”Don’t miss the epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity! SphinxConnect 2019: Leaders Rising will celebrate and empower leadership with over 30 sessions, more than 60 speakers, a 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 much more.

The convening will take place Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, 2019 in Detroit at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. Apply for a SphinxConnect Fellowship by October 1, or register by December 15 to get early bird pricing! Visit SphinxConnect.org for schedule and registration information.

Apply NOW for the 22nd Annual Sphinx Competition

Don’t miss your chance to win the Robert Frederick Smith Prize of $50,000, solo performance opportunities with major orchestras, a performance with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and more! Application guidelines, eligibility requirements, and the complete list of repertoire are currently available online. Applications are due by November 5, 2018. Apply now at app.getacceptd.com/sphinxmusic

Save the Date for the 22nd Annual Sphinx Competition Finals Concert!

Join us on Saturday, February 2nd at 7:30pm at the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. Featuring the three Sphinx Competition Senior Division Finalists, the all-Black and Latinx Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and special guest artist EXIGENCE, led by Eugene Rogers.

Sphinx Launches Leadership Initiative

Sphinx LEAD (Leaders in Excellence, Arts & Diversity) is a 2-year program, designed to inspire minority arts leaders around the country to challenge themselves, to envision how their unique ideas can affect positive change in the field, to engage others beyond their existing networks, and to collaborate with other like-minded leaders across artistic disciplines and organizations.

Starting January 2019, participating Leaders will design a growth plan to determine the competency area, expertise needed, and assessment tools to ensure they meet their goals. Leaders will come together several times annually for Leadership Retreats, where they will share experiences and discuss the new tools and frameworks learned in order to expand their capacity as leaders. The Host of each Leadership Retreat will expose Leaders to new experiences, introduce innovative leaders throughout the local community, and enhance their expanding network. Throughout the program, each Leader will also receive personalized coaching and mentoring to help them with short term task-based situations and long-term relationship building in order to help them achieve their goals. They will apply what they learn from their peers, and in meetings with experts in the field, to maximize their potential and pave new pathways for the next generation of cultural leaders of color.

For more information visit SphinxLEAD.org!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS

The National Alliance for Audition Support – launched by Sphinx, League of American Orchestras, and New World Symphony – is a field-wide initiative with the long-term goal of increasing diversity in American orchestras. Applications are now open for upcoming audition intensives hosted by New World Symphony offering mock auditions, lessons, and performance psychology training. Visit AuditionAlliance.org to apply and learn more.

Low Strings Audition Intensive: December 9-12, 2018Faculty: Joan DerHovsepian, Associate Principal Viola, Houston Symphony; Brinton Smith, Principal Cello, Houston Symphony; Tim Pitts, former Principal Bass (retired), Houston Symphony; Dr. Noa Kageyama, Performance Psychology

Winds & Brass Audition Intensive: December 17-20, 2018Faculty: Demarre McGill, Principal Flute, Seattle Symphony; Alex Laing, Principal Clarinet, Phoenix Symphony; Alberto Suarez, Principal Horn, Kansas City Symphony; Megumi Kanda, Principal Trombone, Milwaukee Symphony; Dr. Noa Kageyama, Performance Psychology

The National Alliance for Audition Support is made possible with the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Sphinx Orchestral Partners Auditions (SOPA): January 30, 2019SOPA provides musicians of color with the unique opportunity to play an audition for a panel representing several orchestras seeking to identify musicians for invitation to auditions, pre-advancement at auditions and/or placement on substitute player lists. The ultimate goal of this initiative is job placement for musicians of color in American orchestras. Visit SphinxConnect.org to apply and learn more.

The SOPA program is made possible through generous funding support from Bank of America; musicians who participate in the SOPA program are recognized as Bank of America Fellows.

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Somethingto Ponder:

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

-- Maya Angelou

Sphinx Performance Academy Student Spotlight: Q&A with Ruth Bezawit Kelley

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

The Sphinx Performance Academy (SPA) is a full-scholarship intensive solo and chamber music summer program for Black and Latinx students ages 11-17. This summer, the Cleveland Institute of Music and Curtis Institute of Music each hosted a two-week SPA session.

Ruth Bezawit Kelley (Ruthie) is an 11th grade violinist and four-time SPA student from Kernersville, NC. She attends the North Carolina School of the Arts, where she studies with Kevin Lawrence.

This summer, Ruthie was awarded the Commitment Award for her dedication and impressive musical growth while at SPA. We caught up with Ruthie to ask her a few questions about her experience at SPA. Why do you choose SPA for your summer musical study?

Four years ago, I chose SPA for my summer music study because I had never experienced being around more than two other musicians of color in my entire music education

career. I’ve continued to revisit SPA because I find it so refreshing to be surrounded by people who share my love of music as well as the struggles of navigating a world that is dominated by people who don’t look like you.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned at SPA?

I learned how to improve myself as a musician and a person, hearing from the experiences of my peers and teachers. Every year, I feel I’ve made huge strides in my music education journey.

Why is SPA special to you?

Attending SPA is the best choice in my music career I’ve ever made. I met some of my closest friends during this program, made wonderful connections with the

Sphinx is proud to continue its partnerships with the Curtis Institute of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music and announce a new partnership with The Juilliard School for its 2019 summer programming.

amazing faculty and my love for music only grew during my time there.

What are your college/career aspirations, and how has SPA helped you on that path?

I am considering either going into Music Performance, Film Scoring or Film Studies; regardless of which study I choose, Music will always be a significant part of my life and who I am.

SPA helped me become more comfortable in myself as a musician and a young black female in this world and I can honestly say that at the end of each summer session, my passion for music is revived, and I leave with new positive energy towards my musicianship.

Ruth performs Lalo Symphonie espagnole in Mixon Hall at SPA CIM 2008