Sphinx Organization: 'Join Vanessa Williams on October 12th at Carnegie Hall!'

[FROM TOP: Vanessa Williams, Catalyst Quartet, Gabriel Cabezas, Randall Goosby]

Vanessa Williams cordially invites you to celebrate
the 15th anniversary of the Sphinx Organization

The Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

6 PM

Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage

General Admission ($25), Student ($15) and Box Seat tickets ($80)
are available online: http://carnegiesphinx15.charityhappenings.org/

Student groups and groups of 10 or more contact Margaret Cassetto
at Margaret@SphinxMusic.org or call 646-429-1987 ext. 714

Featuring Sphinx Virtuosi, a conductorless ensemble of soloists, comprising top alumni of the national Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players.

Catalyst Quartet with members of the Guarneri Quartet

Gabriel Cabezas, cello

Randall Goosby, violin

The Sphinx Organization is the national nonprofit organization committed to building diversity in classical music and proudly presents the concert at Carnegie Hall as a part of the Sphinx Virtuosi's national tour.

The Sphinx Artist Series at Carnegie Hall is presented with generous support from Bloomberg and the Sander and Norma K. Buchman Fund. The annual tour of the Sphinx Virtuosi is made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Support for youth and community programs through Musical Encounters-The Tour! is provided by Target.

'Vanessa Williams cordially invites you to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Sphinx Organization and experience'

Sphinx Organization

The Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall

Co-presented by Bloomberg

and the
Sander and Norma K. Buchman Fund

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall

6:00 PM Performance

Afterglow to Follow

For general admission and group
ticket reservations, please contact

Margaret Cassetto| Margaret@SphinxMusic.org
or 646-429-1987 x714

DowntownMagazineNYC.com: 'Sphinx Organization Serves Up Colorful Taste of Diverse Young Classical Music Talent'

[Violinist Randall Goosby Performs at Carnegie Hall]

Downtown Magazine NYC

June 23, 2011

“The emerging new face of classical music was on display Tuesday evening when gifted 14-year-old violinist Randall Goosby, one of the talented young laureates of the Sphinx Organization, performed at the Bloomberg Tower in Midtown. The riveting performance served as a prelude for the Organization’s upcoming annual showcase of Virtuosi of Color at Carnegie Hall on October 12. The high-profile event will be hosted by Vanessa Williams and serve as a celebration of Sphinx’s incredibly successful 15-year-track record of engaging and providing opportunities in the world of classical music for young and talented kids in the Black and Latin-American communities.

“The organization was founded in 1996 by Aaron Dworkin, an African-American violinist, in an effort to overcome the cultural stereotype of classical music in minority communities, and encourage minority participation and enjoyment of it.” “Mr. Dworkin, who was recently nominated to be a member of the President’s National Council on the Arts, is himself a virtuoso violinist who was motivated to found the organization based on his own difficulties finding entrance and acceptance in the world of classical music.

“Sure I felt resistance, he said, “I was aware that I was the only person who looked like me in my immediate experience. But I had a great mentor (Vladimir Graffman). I studied at Peabody (MA) Prep. I wanted other kids of color to have similar opportunities.” So he did something about it…when he was still a kid.” “A decade-and-a-half later, Sphinx is a testimony to his commitment to opening doors to kids of color to classical music…not only as performers, but as fans. [Aaron Dworkin (b. 1970) is profiled at AfriClassical.com and has a personal website, http://www.AaronDworkin.com]