Wednesday, December 1, 2010

'Sphinx Virtuosi is a conductorless ensemble of accomplished soloists, each a virtuoso'

[Sphinx Virtuosi]

Sphinx Virtuosi Embark on National Tour!
The Sphinx Virtuosi, formerly known as the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, will offer diverse repertoire and feature soloists during a fourth annual tour in 2011. The Sphinx Virtuosi will comprise top alumni of the national Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players as well as featured guests such as the Catalyst Quartet.

More than just a traditional chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi is a conductorless ensemble of accomplished soloists, each a virtuoso. Afa Sadykhly, Vice President of Programs and Artistic Director states that the new name for the seasoned ensemble reflects "the masterful level of performance and accomplishment the orchestra has achieved in the past three years.” The Sphinx Virtuosi will be led by the principal players of the ensemble.

This unique ensemble has received rave reviews from The New York Times. As Allan Kozinn described: "All the hallmarks of a first-rate string ensemble were in place: its tone was warm and varied, it moved with unity and fluidity, and its textures were appealingly transparent."

Inspired by Sphinx’s overarching mission, the Sphinx Virtuosi will continue to advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through performances of varied repertoire. Sphinx Virtuosi perform masterpieces by Bach, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi and Mozart, alongside the more seldom presented works by composers of color, including Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, Michael Abels and Astor Piazzolla.


Members of the Sphinx Virtuosi have attended the top music schools in country, including the Julliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, among many others. Several members also hold professional orchestral positions, including the Oregon, Grand Rapids and San Antonio symphonies. [The Sphinx Organization was founded in 1996 by violinist Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970), who is profiled at AfriClassical.com along with George Walker (b. 1922) and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004)]





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