Sphinx
Organization is proud to announce the three recipients of the 2022
Sphinx Medals of Excellence: pianist Michelle Cann, violinist Randall
Goosby, and soprano Karen Slack.
The Sphinx Medal of Excellence is
the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, the social
justice organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power
of diversity in the arts, and comes with a $50,000 career grant. The
medal recognizes extraordinary classical musicians of color. Recipients
are artists who early in their career demonstrate artistic excellence,
outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, and an ongoing
commitment to leadership and their communities.
Meet the 2022 Recipients
Michelle Cann
"I'm
extremely honored to receive the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and to
become part of this esteemed family of change-makers. I've always
admired Sphinx's efforts to change the face of classical music, and I'm
committed to furthering this mission especially for young pianists of
color. With this award, I hope to inspire and motivate new generations
of musicians by celebrating and advancing works by great Black
composers."
Pianist Michelle Cann
made her orchestral debut at age 14 and has since performed as a solo
recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestral soloist around the world.
She has appeared at venues including the Barbican and Kennedy Center,
and with ensembles including The Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras.
Among her specialties is the music of Florence Price, with performance
highlights including the New York City and Philadelphia premieres of the
composer’s Concerto in One Movement. Ms. Cann studied at the Cleveland
Institute of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, where she holds
the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies.
Randall Goosby
"I
am truly grateful for this award and opportunity from the
Sphinx Organization, whose indelible influence on my musicianship has
brought me to this point in my career. Participating in the Sphinx
Competition over a decade ago opened my eyes to the potential for myself
and other musicians of color to make our mark on the world of classical
music. I hope to continue making classical music ever more accessible
to young musicians, especially those of color, and amplifying the work
of marginalized creators within this field.”
Violinist Randall Goosby
is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship, as
well as for his determination to make classical music more inclusive and
accessible. He made his debut with the Jacksonville Symphony at age
nine and, at age 13, performed with the New York Philharmonic in a Young
People’s Concert. He is one of the youngest winners of the Sphinx
Competition and a recipient of Sphinx’s Isaac Stern Award. His debut
album, Roots—a celebration of African American music—was released by
Decca Classics in June 2021. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he
continues to pursuing an Artist Diploma there under Itzhak Perlman and
Catherine Cho.
Karen Slack
"What
an honor to receive the illustrious Medal of Excellence. To have my
work acknowledged by this amazing organization and now to be a part of
the Sphinx family is tremendous. In an industry where it can be
incredibly difficult to build and then sustain a career, to be
recognized by an organization whose mission it is to foster, support,
and empower Black and Latinx artists and arts administrators is
humbling. I am extremely proud to now have my name aligned with artists,
leaders, and advocates that I greatly admire and respect. Thank you to
Afa and Aaron Dworkin for your tireless advocacy and commitment to our
art form.”
Soprano Karen Slack is
hailed for possessing a voice of extraordinary beauty and a seamless
legato, garnering critical acclaim in leading operatic roles and on the
concert stage. She has starred in productions at the Metropolitan, Lyric
(Chicago), Washington National, and San Francisco Operas, among others,
and has created roles in new operatic works by Black composers Terence
Blanchard and Hannibal Lokumbe. She is Artistic Advisor for Portland
Opera and Co-Director of the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts,
focusing on diversity, equality, and inclusion initiatives in both
roles. A former San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow, she is also a graduate
of the Curtis Institute of Music.
The 2022 Sphinx Medals of Excellence are generously underwritten by Fund II Foundation and William H. Carson, M.D.
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