Dazzling Violinists Win 1st Place Awards at the 18th Annual Sphinx Competition in Detroit, MI; Eduardo Rios, Senior Division & Hannah White, Junior Division

First Place Senior Division Laureate Eduardo Rios - $50,000 Award 

(Glenn Triest)

First Place Junior Division Laureate Hannah White - $10,000 Award

(Glenn Triest)

The Finals Concert for the 18th Annual Sphinx Competition presented by the DTE Energy Foundation took place on February 1st, 2015, hosted by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit, Michigan. 19-year-old violinist Eduardo Rios, a student at Colburn School, gave an extraordinary performance and was awarded first place in the senior division by the internationally acclaimed Jury panel, comprising Chi-chi Nwanoku, Jeffrey Zeigler, John Madison, Karlos Rodriguez, Matthew VanBesien, Philippe Quint, and Stephen Shipps. He will receive a $50,000 award and have the opportunity to be featured with Sphinx Soloist Program Partners.   Rios was also the recipient of Sphinx's Audience Choice Award sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Second place in the senior division went to violist Michael Casimir who will receive a $20,000 award, while violinist Annelle Gregory won third place and will receive a $10,000 award. 14-year-old violinist Hannah White, from Germantown, WI, won first place in the junior division Sphinx Competition on Friday, January 30 at the Max M. Fisher Music Center. Hannah also took the stage at the Finals Concert at Orchestra Hall and gave a stunning performance of Mozart's Concerto No 1, Movement I. Hannah will also receive a $10,000 award and have the opportunity to be featured with Sphinx Soloist Program Partners. The Laureates performed with the professional all Black and Latino Sphinx Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Guest Conductor Andrew Grams. Featured Guest Artist Cristina Pato captivated the audience with her outstanding Galician Bagpipe performance in the premiere of Mvt III, Elas, from Widows of the Living and the Dead by Octavio Vazquez.

Complete Concert Broadcast airs on Monday, February 23rd at 10:00PM on Detroit Public Television, Channel 56.1. Broadcast will be available on demand at dptv.org