Tune into The Violin Channel for Junior and Senior Division Finals of the Sphinx Competition on January 29, 2022
In preparation for the Sphinx Competition Finals and SphinxConnect Conference next week, The Violin Channel caught up with Sphinx Organization President and Artistic Director, Afa S. Dworkin.
Happy anniversary! Congratulations on 25 years of truly impactful initiatives and for the hard work you, your colleagues, and many predecessors have done. How does it feel?
We are so proud of the accomplishments of our artists and the incredible network of leaders on and off stage, setting new standards of excellence!
How did the Sphinx Organization start and what was the initial dream supporting it?
Sphinx was launched 25 years ago with the inaugural Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latinx string players. The aim was to identify, nurture and support the most talented young artists. It is a program that was meant to empower many. Today, Sphinx is a movement that is transforming lives.
Why did Mr. Dworkin feel so strongly it was needed at the time?
Himself a Black violinist, he often was the only one or one of less than a handful in most musical settings. He aimed to change that narrative and to give a stage to the many deserving voices, for the good of our artists as well as our entire field.
Your team has been able to achieve so much, but can you please tell us about a few of the major milestones that have occurred over the years?
There are a number of significant milestones. Celebrating 25 years, 850+ alumni, 4.5 M awarded in prizes and scholarships, and the artistic journeys of 4 touring ensembles make the list!
If you can narrow it to one, which Sphinx accomplishment would you say you and your team are most proud of?
Perhaps the fact that during these challenging times, we have seen a greater interest in our programs, an overall applicant pool growth of 60 percent, and the fact that our artists innovated and were not silenced. Standing by and helping to amplify their voices has been our greatest honor, through digital and lives tours, through innovating efforts they have launched, and the ways in which they have uplifted one another. Returning to the stage of Carnegie Hall this past fall felt like a historic culmination, celebrating their resilience.
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