[Violist
Paul Laraia won first prize in the senior division of the 2011 Sphinx
Competition. / Glenn Triest]
Mark Stryker
February 9, 2012
“Celebrating its
15th anniversary this week, the annual Sphinx Competition for black
and Latino string players can look back on a track record of
remarkable success and growth. Started on a shoestring by MacArthur
Fellowship winner Aaron Dworkin to address the historic inequities of
minorities in classical music, the competition has provided more than
$1 million in prize money and scholarships, arranged hundreds of
performance opportunities for its laureates with top American
orchestras and reached more than 100,000 kids in schools and
community centers.
“The Sphinx
Organization in Detroit has become one of the great driving forces
for change in a field that desperately needs fresh ideas on every
front. Beyond the competition -- which culminates with Sunday's
finals concert featuring noted conductor Michael Morgan, the
all-black and Latino professional Sphinx Symphony, Catalyst Quartet
and competition laureates -- Sphinx oversees an empire of education
and residency programs, camps, an instrument fund, touring ensembles,
music commissioning program and more.”
“While the numbers
show that minorities still make up less than 5% of musicians in
American orchestras, the Sphinx program is making a difference.”
“In short, classical music looks more like America thanks to
Sphinx. The finals
concert is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Orchestra Hall, Max M. Fisher Music
Center, 3711 Woodward, Detroit. 313-576-5111. www.sphinxmusic.org.
$12. The concert will also be streamed live at the website.
[Aaron
Dworkin (b. 1970), Founder and President of The Sphinx Organization
is profiled at AfriClassical.com and has a personal website,
http://www.AaronDworkin.com]
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