Sphinx to Honor Rising Stars with
Sphinx Medals of Excellence
March 20, 2013
Sphinx Medals of Excellence
March 20, 2013
On March 20, for the second time in its history, Sphinx will honor three emerging leaders who demonstrate the following qualities: artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, and great potential for leadership:
Jade Simmons, Gabriela Lena Frank and Stanford Thompson
The three are the recipients of the second annual Sphinx Medals of Excellence. The recipients will be honored at a black-tie dinner in Washington D.C. and the awards also carry a $5,000 honorarium to further these burgeoning careers.
“The incredible success that Jade, Gabriela and Stanford have already achieved is a clear indication that diversity and artistic excellence play important roles in classical music and in our communities,” said Sphinx Founder and President,
Aaron P. Dworkin.
About the 2013 Sphinx Medal of Excellence Honorees
Jade Simmons, Piano
Always
on display is a powerful combination of passion and innovation that
easily makes Jade Simmons one of the most exciting and versatile artists
on the scene today. For her work on and away from the stage, Essence
magazine featured Jade alongside First Lady Michelle Obama and Olympic
gold medalist Gabby Douglas as a part of their Style & Substance
List. Additionally, she has been recognized by Symphony Magazine, Ebony
magazine, named Houston’s Best Arts Ambassador and affectionately
labeled Classical Music's "No.1 Maverick" by arts journalist/music
critic Greg Sandow.
Gabriela Lena Frank, Composer
Born
in Berkeley, California to a mother of mixed Peruvian/Chinese ancestry
and a father of Lithuanian/Jewish descent, Gabriela Lena Frank explores
her heritage most ardently through her musical compositions. These have
been described by critics as “luminous... bursting with fresh
originality” (Los Angeles Times), “crafted with unselfconscious mastery”
(Washington Post), and “brilliant” (Chicago Tribune). She has travelled
extensively throughout South America and her pieces reflect and refract
her studies of Latin-American folklore, incorporating poetry,
mythology, and native musical styles into a western classical framework
that is uniquely her own. With Latin Grammy and Grammy wins and
nominations as both composer and pianist, Frank is regularly
commissioned and performed by artists such as Yo Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, The
King's Singers, and the Kronos Quartet, as well as the major orchestras
of the US including those of Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and
Atlanta.
Stanford Thompson, Trumpet Player,
Music Educator and Arts Entrepreneur
Stanford Thompson is a musician and educator who is passionate
about using music for social action and serves as the CEO for the El
Sistema-inspired program, Play On, Philly! As a trumpeter, Mr. Thompson
has performed and soloed with major orchestras around the world while
actively performing chamber music and jazz. For El Sistema-inspired
programs he led in Philadelphia, Stanford has secured over $4 million in
funding which has lead to the impact of hundreds of children throughout
the city. He serves as the chair of the National Alliance of El Sistema
Inspired Programs and recognized as one of Philadelphia’s top 76
Creative Connectors. Stanford is a native of Atlanta, GA and holds
degrees from The Curtis Institute of Music and the New England
Conservatory’s Abreu Fellows Program.
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