'Make Music with Sphinx: Donate Today'

[Randall Goosby]

Dear Sphinx Family,

Throughout Sphinx's 15 years, your support has played a significant role in helping us reach this important milestone and I am so grateful for your belief in our work.

Your support gives young Sphinx musicians like violinist Randall Goosby once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Without your dedication and belief in the future of classical music, we simply could not do the work that we do.

Since winning the Sphinx Competition, Randall has:

* Attended the Perlman Summer Music Program and begun studies with the legendary Itzhak Perlman

* Debuted with the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Harris Theater, among many others

* Received the 2011 Isaac Stern Award

* Performed on the stage of Carnegie Hall- twice!

During this special holiday season and as we prepare for our 15th Anniversary, give a young musician the gift of music and help us continue to make dreams possible.

Yours in Music,

Aaron P. Dworkin

Founder and President

The Sphinx Organization

[Aaron Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com and has a personal website, http://www.AaronDworkin.com]

“Uncommon Rhythm: 'A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee’s Journey to Leadership'”

[Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee’s Journey to Leadership; Aaron P. Dworkin, author; Aquarius Press, publisher (2011)]

Shortly after the launch of the website which came to be known as AfriClassical.com, we realized that our list of Composers of African Descent needed to be accompanied by a list of Musicians of African Descent. Most are instrumentalists or conductors, but one person honored with a page at the website was Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970), who stood out because he had recently founded the Sphinx Organization to provide opportunities to young Black and Latino string players. The genius of Aaron Dworkin's concept was reflected by the fact that the Sphinx Organization became a national institution virtually overnight, a point of entry allowing young string musicians of color a chance to hone their skills and participate in their chosen field of classical music.

We are proud to tell our readers of the publication of Aaron Dworkin's new memoir:

Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee’s Journey to Leadership

The book has just been released by Aquarius Press, whose website is: http://www.aquariuspressbookseller.net/uncommonrhythm.html.

Aaron Dworkin provides a synopsis of the book, and tells us: “Key testimonials may be found on the website including Branford Marsalis, former Governor of Michigan Jennifer Granholm and others. I hope you enjoy learning about my personal journey!”

Aaron P. Dworkin

Founder & President, The Sphinx Organization, www.sphinxmusic.org

Social Entrepreneur, Spoken Word Artist, Visual Artist, Author, www.aarondworkin.com

Member, National Council on the Arts, http://www.nea.gov/about/NCA/Dworkin.html

AQUARIUS PRESS

“Aquarius Press is pleased to announce the upcoming release of the long-awaited inspirational memoir by White House Champion of Change Aaron P. Dworkin, Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee’s Journey to Leadership. Aaron is the Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization, the leading national arts organization that focuses on youth development and diversity in classical music. Uncommon Rhythm is a harrowing yet moving account of Aaron’s journey through social isolation and discrimination to found one of the nation’s cultural jewels. The book is a tapestry of stirring narrative, precious photos and poignant poems. A MacArthur Fellow, Aaron is driven by the single vision of 'inclusion for all,' and hopes that this book will inspire all people who have ever felt like outsiders to nurture their own gifts and make valuable contributions to society.”

More about Uncommon Rhythm

“Aaron Dworkin is America’s everyman and America’s exceptionalism rolled into one person; he is inspiration personified. The tapestry of his life has been breathtaking: powerful threads of talent braided with soft threads of religion and colorful threads of ethnicity, creating an extraordinary memoir that is both compelling and endearing.”

~Jennifer Granholm, (former) Governor of State of Michigan

“Success is an amazing combination of talent, hard work, and good fortune. Aaron Dworkin is the embodiment of this troika, and his story is quintessentially an American one. As his book shows, he has made the most of opportunities presented to him, and his words show him to be a visionary in the promotion of American culture to its young citizens. Uncommon Rhythm is a very informative, and inspirational read.”

~Branford Marsalis, Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Musician

Former Leader of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Band

"Aaron Dworkin is a gifted and extraordinary leader. His passion for music and unwavering commitment has transformed youth at risk, urban areas, and the world of classical music. His story and message are a must-read. You will be inspired by his gripping journey. Highly recommended!"

~Josh Linkner, NY Times Bestselling author, Disciplined Dreaming, CEO and Managing Director, Detroit Venture Partners, Professor of Applied Creativity, University of Michigan

“Aaron Dworkin is a living testimony to the power of art to bridge cultures, races and socio-economic barriers . . . a leader whose rising star shines brightly on a path that is so needed and missing in the world today.“

~Janet Brown, Executive Director; Grantmakers in the Arts

More about Aaron P. Dworkin

“Named a 2011 White House Champion of Change, a MacArthur Fellow, a Member of the Obama National Arts Policy Committee and President Obama’s first nominee to the National Council on the Arts, Aaron P. Dworkin is the Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization, the leading national arts organization that focuses on youth development and diversity in classical music. An author, social entrepreneur, artist-citizen and an avid youth education advocate, he has received extensive national recognition for his vast accomplishments. He has been featured in People, on NBC’s Today Show and Nightly News with Brian Williams, CNN’s Airport Network-Innovator Series and Anderson Cooper 360°, named one of Newsweek’s 15 People Who Make America Great , NPR’s “The Story and Performance Today,” in addition to articles in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, Washington Post and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, as well as many other media outlets.”

Book Information

“Uncommon Rhythm:

A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah’s Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee’s Journey to Leadership

September 30, 2011

Aquarius Press

ISBN 978-0-9846212-7-9

6 x 9

208 pages

$19.95”

The book is available from the publisher, and will shortly be offered as an Ebook and will be sold by book sellers including Amazon.com and local book stores.

Macon.com: 'Performances highlight black, Latino musicians' in Macon, Georgia Sept. 19 & 20

[Catalyst Quartet]

Macon.com

Friday, Sep. 16, 2011

Staff reports

“Sphinx Virtuosi, a nationally acclaimed orchestra featuring black and Latino musicians, will launch its 2011 national tour with performances Monday and Tuesday at The Grand Opera House. Founded in 1996, the group’s vision is 'a world in which classical music reflects cultural diversity and plays a role in the everyday lives of youth.'

“For the performance in Macon, talented young Sphinx Laureates Randall Goosby and Gabriel Cabezas, who won the national Sphinx Competition for young black and Latino string players, are featured. The performance includes classic works by Bartok, Bach and Schubert, as well as pieces by Alberto Ginastera, Alberto Golijov, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Juan Bautista Plaza and others.”

"As part of the Grand’s GrandKids Arts Education Series for elementary, middle and high school students, Sphinx will perform a one-hour concert twice daily, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Monday and Tuesday. Tickets are $7. There also will be a longer evening concert Monday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for adults. Tickets may be purchased by phone at (478) 301-5470, online at http://www.TheGrandMacon.com, or in person at the Mercer Ticket Sales office, 400 Poplar St."

[Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970) is Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization and is featured at AfriClassical.com]

Sphinx Organization Announces Online Application & Video Submission Format for 15th Sphinx Competition

[Tahira Whittington]

SPHINX ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCES NEW ONLINE APPLICATION AND VIDEO SUBMISSION FORMAT FOR THE 15th ANNUAL SPHINX COMPETITION

We are proud to announce the 15th annual Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players presented by DTE Energy Foundation. The application deadline is Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 @ 11:59pm EST.

In celebration of Sphinx15, the Sphinx Organization has partnered with ReviewRoom, an online application and submission management program, to accept applications and videos for the upcoming Sphinx Competition!

Sphinx Competition Director Andre Dowell says, "We are excited about the new format, which enhances our ability to reach more qualified applicants and optimizes the application process as a whole. In the age of technology, advancement and accessibility, this was a natural step in maximizing our call for entries process".

Unlike previous years, we will no longer accept applications that are mailed directly to the Sphinx Organization, and only those that apply and submit online will be considered during the preliminary round. We encourage all applicants to register early to become familiar with the submission process.

The Sphinx Competition is held every year in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan. The competition is open to all Junior High, High School, and College age Black and Latino string players residing in the U.S. The Sphinx Competition offers young Black and Latino classical string players a chance to compete under the guidance of an internationally renowned panel of judges and to perform with established professional musicians in a competition setting. Its primary goals are to encourage, develop and recognize classical music talent in the Black and Latino communities. In addition, the Sphinx Competition awards over $35,000 in cash prizes as well as full-tuition scholarship to the top Music Schools and Summer Programs.

To register for the Sphinx Competition, please visit: http://sphinx.myreviewroom.com/. You will find step-by-step instructions on submitting your application and videos.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Complete applications must be submitted by 11:59pm EST.

February 8-12, 2012

Sphinx Competition held in Ann Arbor and Detroit, MI

Friday, February 10, 2012

Honors Concert @ 12:00 Noon

Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI

Free and open to the public.

For tickets please contact Margaret at 313-877-9100 x 714

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Finals Concert @ 2:00 pm

Orchestra Hall, Detroit, MI

For ticket information call Margaret at 313-877-9100 x 714

For more information regarding the 15th Annual Sphinx Competition, please visit http://sphinxmusic.org/programs/competition.html.

Do Grants and Competitions Exist for Black Composers of Classical Music?

[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Violin Concertos, Op. 5, Nos. 1 & 2; Op. 3, No. 1; Op. 8, No. 9; Bernard Thomas Chamber Orchestra; Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Violin; Arion 68093 (1990)]

A reader has asked if grants and competitions exist for Black Composers of Classical Music. We have made an initial reply, and we hope others will provide further suggestions:

A number of opportunities for composers of African descent are provided by individual performance organizations. Here are some examples:

The Sphinx Commissioning Consortium involves the Sphinx Organization and 12 U.S. orchestras:

http://www.sphinxmusic.org/programs/scc.html

The Imani Winds Quintet, http://www.imaniwinds.com/, has commissioned a number of works as part of its efffort to expand the Wind Quintet repertoire of works by composers of color.

The Ritz Chamber Players have had a number of composers-in-residence

http://www.ritzchamberplayers.org/

The pianist Terrence Wilson took an entrepreneurial approach to the commissioning process. He solicited 6 orchestras to form a consortium to commission Grammy-winning composer Michael Daugherty to write a piano concerto. The resulting work is Deus Ex Machina for piano and orchestra (2007). Naxos paired the work with Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony on its release Naxos 8.559635 (2009), performed by the Nashville Symphony under the direction of Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor.

This reply is copied to my principal associates, who may contact you if they have additional suggestions. I hope you will keep the Center for Black Music Research (CBMR) at Columbia College Chicago informed of your compositions and recordings. Its web address is: http://www.colum.edu/cbmr The CBMR has a unique and enduring research collection of scores, recordings and other materials related to Black composers.

Sincerely,

Bill Zick
[Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799) is featured at AfriClassical.com]

Comment by email:
Your information was especially thorough. Precisely what I needed. Thank you very much. Steve Burks

Patrick D. McCoy is pleased to announce a special interview with AARON DWORKIN Monday, Aug. 8 at Noon

[Aaron Dworkin]

Patrick D. McCoy

The African American Voice in Classical Music

is pleased to announce a special interview with

AARON DWORKIN

President and Founder of the Sphinx Organization

and newly appointed member of the National Council on Arts

Monday, August 8, 2011 at 12 Noon EDT

READ MARK STRYKER'S ARTICLE IN THE DETROIT FREE PRESS HERE

Listen to the show and share with your colleagues:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/patrickdmccoy/2011/08/15/interview-aaron-dworkin-president-sphinx-organization

Press Release from Patrick D. McCoy, The African American Voice in Classical Music:

http://www.prlog.org/11612833-aaron-dworkin-interviewed-by-patrick-mccoy-about-his-appointment-to-the-national-council-on-arts.html

AutomotiveDiscovery.com: Aug. 4 TV Program 'Detroit In Overdrive' Features Sphinx Organization in 9 PM Segment

[Aaron Dworkin]

AutomotiveDiscovery.com

Written on July 20, 2011 by James Lavern

“Detroit In Overdrive Premiers August 4, 2011

A world television premier event presenting the story of the diverse population in Detroit who are working together to rebuild the Motor City will premier on Planet Green Thursday, August 4 at 8PM ET. DETROIT IN OVERDRIVE is a co-production of General Motors and Planet Green, Discovery Studios, LLC. documenting the devotion and hard work of Detroit’s citizens and communities to overcome global competition, a global recession, and a declining population to create a 21st century Detroit.”

“'Art Saves Detroit' will air one hour later at 9PM and features globally recognized artist Tyree Guyton who plans to pave an entire city street with 10,000 shoes from all over the world to draw attention to Detroit’s homeless problem. Others featured will include; Woodbridge Records, College for Creative Studies John Manoogian and the Sphinx Organization that puts musical instruments in the hands of Latino and African American children. [Aaron Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com and has a personal website, http://www.AaronDworkin.com]

Marshay R. Williams of Sphinx: 'It is with great pride that I accompany my husband, as a result of a corporate transfer'

[Marshay R. Williams]

Marshay R. Williams of the Sphinx Organization addresses the people with whom she has interacted in her role as Director of Leadership Investments:

“I hope this message finds you well. With a heavy heart I reach out to you to share that, effective July 29th, I am stepping down from my role as Director of Leadership Investments at Sphinx. At the same time, it is with great pride that I accompany my husband, as a result of a corporate transfer, and excitedly take my talents to Greater West Palm Beach, FL

.

“Over the past three and a half years, the joy derived from my work in furtherance of the Sphinx Mission – to ‘change the face of classical music’ – is, often, indescribable. My interactions with you contributed to this in a major way and I offer my sincerest thanks.

“Internally, it is not uncommon to utilize the expression ‘once a part of the Sphinx family . . . always a part of the Sphinx family’. At my core, I feel this and know that wherever I land professionally, I will create opportunities to share the Sphinx story . . . joining you as a lifelong supporter with full confidence that, going forward, WE are in good hands with the Sphinx Team.

Warmest regards,

--Marshay R. Williams

WBUR: 'Changing The Stereotype Of Classical Music'; Hear Interview With Aaron Dworkin

[Violinist Aaron Dworkin in WBUR's Studio 4 (Kirk Carapezza for WBUR)]

WBUR.org [Click for link to audio of radio interview (4:12)]

BOSTON — Aaron Dworkin is a rarity in the classical music world: he’s a black violinist.

Fifteen years ago, he founded the Sphinx Organization, a Detroit-based nonprofit group that tries to increase racial and ethnic diversity in classical music. It especially wants to encourage African-Americans and Latinos to get into the field, and to develop musical talent in children.

Since its founding, the Sphinx Organization has worked with more than 85,000 students in about 175 schools nationwide, and the number of minority musicians in U.S. orchestras has doubled — an increase Dworkin believes is due in part to his group’s work.

Dworkin visited Boston Friday to receive a teaching award from Harvard, and WBUR’s All Things Considered host Sacha Pfeiffer spoke with him about his efforts to change the perception of classical music. [Aaron Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com and has a personal website, http://www.AaronDworkin.com]

Sphinx Organization & California Artist Management Present Sphinx Virtuosi & Catalyst Quartet on Expanded National Tour

[Catalyst Quartet in performance at Carnegie Hall]

The Sphinx Virtuosi, featuring the Catalyst Quartet, a Sphinx Ensemble, will embark on its fourth annual national tour in Fall 2011 through a new partnership with California Artist Management (CAM).

Inspired by the Sphinx Organization’s overarching mission, both the Sphinx Virtuosi and Catalyst Quartet strive to advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through performances of varied repertoire. In addition to performing masterpieces by Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart and Tchaikovsky, the Sphinx Virtuosi program highlights works by composers of color, including Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, Michael Abels and Astor Piazzolla. Founded by the Sphinx Organization, the Catalyst Quartet combines a serious commitment to diversity, excellence and education with a passion for accessible modern repertoire.

The members are violinists Bryan Hernandez-Luch and Karla Donehew Perez, violist Christopher Jenkins, and cellist Karlos Rodriguez. The Sphinx Virtuosi have received rave reviews from The New York Times’s Allan Kozinn:

"All the hallmarks of a first-rate string ensemble were in place: its tone was warm and varied, it moved with unity and fluidity, and its textures were appealingly transparent."

Kozinn praised the Catalyst Quartet for its “earthy vigor” which left the audience wanting more.

More than just a traditional chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi is a conductor-less ensemble of 22-23 accomplished soloists of color, each a virtuoso in his or her own right. Led by the principal players of the ensemble, Sphinx Virtuosi members have attended the top music schools in the country, including the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music. Several of the members hold professional orchestral positions, including the Oregon, Grand Rapids and San Antonio Symphonies.

Sphinx Virtuosi was formerly known as the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra. Afa Sadykhly Dworkin, Vice President of Programs and Artistic Director, states that the new name reflects "the masterful level of performance and accomplishment the orchestra has achieved in the past three years."

CAM will partner with Sphinx to manage the tour, which has planned performances across North America. Susan Endrizzi Morris and Donald Osborne, Managing Directors of CAM, will oversee the tour.

“'Building on the phenomenal successes we’ve had in recent years, including onstage at Carnegie Hall, the Sphinx Virtuosi Tour featuring the Catalyst Quartet will continue to build diversity in the concert halls across the country. We could not be more proud and honored to work with California Artists Management; their unmatched expertise will be truly invaluable,' said Aaron P. Dworkin, the Sphinx Organization’s Founder and President. 'The tour allows us to share not only the incredible talent of our Competition alumni, but also the underperformed masterpieces of Black and Latino composers,' Dworkin added.” [Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970), Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) and George Walker (b. 1922) are profiled at AfriClassical.com]

AaronDworkin.com: “my personal web site has now gone 'live!,'" links to 'Sphinx,' 'Battle of the Blox' & 'Serafina Arts' Performances

[Aaron Dworkin]

Aaron Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com and is frequently featured on AfriClassical. Today we post a message from him about a personal website:

"Dear Bill,

I am pleased to share with you that my personal web site has now gone 'live!' The site includes links and references to my work as a social entrepreneur through Sphinx and Battle of the Blox. It also shares my work as an artist through Serafina Arts, including my multi-media performance art/upcoming performances, as well as my visual art, books, CDs and other activities. I hope you enjoy:

http://www.AaronDworkin.com

Detroit Free Press: NEA Awards '$55,000 for Sphinx Symphony'

[Sphinx Symphony]

Freep.com

Nov. 23, 2010

NEA reveals $390K in grants for Mich. Groups

By MARK STRYKER

Free Press Staff Writer

“The National Endowment for the Arts today announced 18 grants totaling $390,000 to cultural groups and artists in Michigan.”

“Sphinx Organization, Detroit: $55,000 for Sphinx Symphony, an ensemble of professional African American and Latino musicians.” [The Sphinx Organization was founded in 1996 by violinist Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970), who is profiled at AfriClassical.com.]

Allan Kozinn in New York Times: 'Fledgling Musicians Spread Their Wings'

[Bottom Photo: Randall Goosby (Daniel Barry for The New York Times). Top 3 Photos by Nan Melville: Catalyst Quartet; Melissa White and Elena Urioste; Sphinx Chamber Orchestra with Damon Gupton, Conductor]

New York Times

NYTimes.com

Music Review

By Allan Kozinn

Published: October 6, 2010

“The annual Carnegie Hall performances by the young musicians from the Sphinx Organization are always illuminating, not only because they are the fruits of an inspiring program, but also because the performances are invariably energetic and finely burnished. Sphinx, which is based in Detroit and was started in 1996 by Aaron P. Dworkin, a violinist, is dedicated to getting black and Hispanic students involved in classical music, mainly by training them to play and compose but also through music history courses that help produce informed listeners.”

“The ensemble, conducted by Damon Gupton, opened its program with a shimmering, lovingly shaped reading of Sibelius’s Andante Festivo. All the hallmarks of a first-rate string ensemble were in place: its tone was warm and varied, it moved with unity and fluidity, and its textures were appealingly transparent. Those qualities, reconfigured to yield a trim, Classical sound, enlivened a brisk performance of Mendelssohn's youthful String Symphony No. 7. Mr. Gupton also led a lilting account of 'Coqueteos,' a seductively melodic movement from Gabriela Lena Frank's 'Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout,' and closed the program with the hard-driven finale of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson's Sinfonietta No. 1.

“Solo and chamber performances were interspersed with the orchestral scores. The Catalyst Quartet, a new ensemble sponsored by Sphinx, played the Allegro Rustico movement from Ginastera’s Quartet No. 2 with an earthy vigor that made you wonder why whoever assembles Sphinx’s programs did not have them offer the complete work. Elena Urioste and Melissa White, two superb violinists whose performances were also highlights of last year's concert, returned to collaborate on a sizzling, acidic account of Prokofiev's Sonata for Two Solo Violins (Op. 56).

“A third violinist, Randall Goosby, the first-prize winner in the junior division of this year’s Sphinx Competition, exerted a masterly level of control and lavished an exquisite tone on Ysaÿe’s unaccompanied Sonata No. 3. Mr. Goosby does not yet have a fully developed sense of how to fill a phrase with drama, but that will come: he is only 13, and his performance won him a deserved standing ovation for its sheer virtuosity.” [Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) is profiled at AfriClassical.com, which features a complete Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma of Lawrence University Conservatory]

New World Symphony Premieres Work of Haitian-American Composer Daniel Bernard Roumain

[DBR: etudes4violin&electronix]

Miami Herald

Tuesday, 9-21-10

"Pre-season concerts by the New World Symphony featuring the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain's 'Dancers, Dreamers and Presidents'

7:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday

Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach

All tickets for the free concerts are gone, but patrons can line up at the box office for seats in case of no-shows

Info: 305-673-333

BY GREG STEPANICH

Special to The Miami Herald

“The segment lasted only 21 seconds, but it gave Daniel Bernard Roumain a basis for 21 minutes of musical thought -- as well as the hope that years of barriers might finally be coming down. What inspired the Haitian-American composer and violinist was a bit of television from late October 2007, in which then-Sen. Barack Obama and comedian Ellen DeGeneres shared a brief dance on her talk show.”

“So when he got a commission from Detroit's Sphinx Organization to write an orchestral work, he turned to that dance. The result is a three-movement piece called Dancers, Dreamers and Presidents, which will get its world premiere Saturday at the Lincoln Theatre on Miami Beach, played by the New World Symphony under principal guest conductor Alasdair Neale. The concert will be repeated Sunday.”

Detroit Free Press: 'Harlem Quartet in the spotlight'

[Harlem Quartet]

Freep.com
Posted: Feb. 4, 2010
BY MARK STRYKER
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
“The 13th annual Sphinx Competition for black and Latino string players, which culminates with Sunday's finals concert featuring the Harlem Quartet and the Sphinx Symphony conducted by Anthony Elliott, has become a signature event in classical music. But beyond the competition -- which doles out more than $100,000 in prizes and scholarships, along with performance opportunities with some of America's top orchestras -- the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization oversees an empire of education, residency and artistic programs that are dedicated to promoting minority involvement in classical music.”

“The Harlem Quartet, a string quartet made up of former first-place laureates, has become an especially visible and potent symbol of the Sphinx mission to advance diversity in classical music and engage young and new audiences. The quartet -- violinists Ilmar Gavilán and Lansing native Melissa White, violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez and cellist Desmond Neysmith -- has toured widely. It appeared at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival in 2009 and will return for the 2010 festival in June.

What is most notable about the quartet is the range of its repertoire, which includes works from the standard literature as well as out-of-the-way 20th-Century works by American neoclassicist Walter Piston and Spanish nationalist Joaquin Turina and jazz-inspired pieces by Wynton Marsalis and Billy Strayhorn. The group's recording of three Piston quartets is available as a download from Naxos at naxos.com, with a CD of the performance expected this year. At Sunday's finals concert, the quartet will team with the Sphinx Symphony for the world premiere of Michael Abels' Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra. Abels has a long history with Sphinx, which commissioned a piece from him in 2007. [The Founder/President of The Sphinx Organization is violinist Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970), who is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

Sphinx Organization: 'Sphinx Programs and Founder on Fox News Tomorrow!' 3-4 PM & 7-8 PM ET

[Photo of Aaron P. Dworkin by Bruce Giffin, Detroit Public Television]

The Sphinx Organization announces that its video at RealAmericanStories.com will be shown on Fox News tomorrow, Dec. 31, 2009:
“Catch 'Real American Stories' on Fox News,” 3-4 PM ET; or 7-8 PM ET Dec. 31”
On the video Melissa White, violinist, Sphinx Laureate and member of the Harlem Quartet, joins in articulating the vision and unparalleled accomplishments in Classical Music Diversity of Aaron P. Dworkin, Winner of a MacArthur Genius Fellowship and countless other honors, who is Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization, headquartered in Detroit and serving the country. [Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com as a Musician of African Descent]

RealAmericanStories.com: Video of Aaron Dworkin, Founder of the Sphinx Organization

[Photo of Aaron P. Dworkin by Bruce Giffin, Detroit Public Television]

On a compelling new video at RealAmericanStories.com, violinist and Harlem Quartet member Melissa White joins in articulating the vision and unparalleled accomplishments in Classical Music Diversity of Aaron P. Dworkin, Winner of a MacArthur Genius Fellowship and countless other honors, who is Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization, headquartered in Detroit and serving the country. [Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com as a Musician of African Descent]

Sphinx Laureates Return to Carnegie Hall October 7, 2009

[Featuring the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, Harlem Quartet and solo performances by Laureates of the prestigious Sphinx Competition for young Black & Latino string players.]

The Sphinx Organization, celebrating 12 years of building diversity in classical music, returns to Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, October 7, 2009. Under the baton of Maestro Chelsea Tipton II, the concert will feature the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, the Harlem Quartet, and other top Sphinx Competition alumni performing as soloists.

This annual celebration of diversity and classical music embraces the Sphinx Organization’s artistic mission offering standard repertoire and masterpieces by Black and Latino composers. Please join us on October 7th as we celebrate the extraordinary talents of these young musicians of color.  The mission of the Sphinx Organization is to increase the participation of Blacks and Latinos in music schools as professional musicians, as classical music audiences, and to administer youth development initiatives in underserved communities through music education. [Sphinx Founder/President Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970)  is profiled at AfriClassical.com] 

The Birmingham News: 'Harlem Quartet: At the Heart of Diversity'

[The Harlem Quartet, from left, Ilmar Gavilan, Desmond Neysmith, Melissa White and Juan-Miguel Hernandez, was organized in 2006. Each has won the Sphinx Competition for young Black & Latino string players and they are about to release their second CD. They perform Thursday in a concert presented by the Birmingham Chamber Music Society.] 

blog.al.com

Posted by Michael Huebner – Birmingham News February 1, 2009 5:30 AM

“In its mission to involve more Latinos and African-Americans in classical music, the Sphinx Organization has spawned a string quartet that's quickly gaining respect in the competitive chamber music market. The Harlem Quartet, a group of 23- to 30-year-olds that plays in Birmingham on Thursday [details below], was assembled in 2006 by Sphinx founder Aaron Dworkin. Unlike most string quartets, who link up through educational, professional or family ties or through auditions, the Harlem was assembled from first place solo winners in the annual Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players.

“Every year since 1996, the Michigan-based Sphinx Organization has held the competition with the goal of breaking cultural stereotypes. First violinist Ilmar Galivan won in 2001. 'Everyone in the quartet has won the competition, in separate years,' said Galivan. 'When we won this competition, the thought of being in a quartet wasn't remotely in anyone's mind.' Brought up in Cuba, Galivan studied violin at the Havana Conservatory until he was 14, then studied in Moscow, Spain and New York, picking up pointers from such luminaries as Yehudi Menuhin, Ruggiero Ricci, Isaac Stern and Glenn Dichterow. Other quartet members have equally impressive solo credentials.”

“But the quartet's diversity goes beyond ethnicity. Its repertoire draws from classic quartet composers such as Brahms, Haydn, Mozart and Ravel, but sprinkles in modernists such as Walter Piston and Judith Lang Zaimont. More telling are quartets by Guido Galivan (Ilmar's father) and a Duke Ellington arrangement of Billy Strayhorn's 'Take the A Train' (the title track of the quartet's first CD). Wynton Marsalis' 'Octoroon Balls,' a work that explores the social and cultural contradictions of Creole life in New Orleans. Composed in 1995 for the Orion Quartet, it was the first classical composition by the jazz great, and it has taken on special significance for the group."  [Full Post]  [The Founder/President of The Sphinx Organization is violinist Aaron P. Dworkin, who is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

PBS.org Art Beat, Music: “Harlem Quartet, Strads 'Take the A Train'”

[Take the 'A' Train; The Harlem Quartet; White Pine Music (2007)]

PBS.org NewsHour: Art Beat – Music

Harlem Quartet, Strads 'Take the A Train'

Posted by Mike Melia, December 31, 2008

The Harlem Quartet continues to break new ground in the world of classical music, and at the group's recent performance at the Library of Congress, a bit of music history was made, too. "There's definitely been people who have played jazz on a Strad before, no doubt," first violin Ilmar Gavilan said, referring to the legendary instruments made by Antonio Stradivari and the jazz standard written by Billy Strayhorn for Duke Ellington's orchestra. "But a quartet playing jazz, and specifically this arrangement, which is pretty recent, I think I'm going to go out on a limb -- this is history!" [Continue Reading] [The Harlem Quartet is an ensemble of the Sphinx Organization, whose Founder/President, Aaron P. Dworkin (b. 1970), is profiled at AfriClassical.com]