Vol. 14, No. 3

The Quarter NoteSummer 2013

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Sphinx is excited to announce that legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma will

be joining us in a new role as Special Artistic Advisor. In this role, he will offer mentorship to Sphinx’s top young artists, in addition to advising the organization and its Board on the strategic direction of the organization’s programming endeavors.

About this new role, Yo-Yo Ma shared: “I am so excited to have this affiliation with the Sphinx Organization, because I believe so much of the values of Sphinx and the values the Silk Road Project and I try to practice are aligned. One of our principal jobs in life is to find and nurture talent, and talent crosses all borders. It is an honor to be associated with this visionary organization.”

Previously, Mr. Ma has served as Honorary Chair to Sphinx’s annual Carnegie Hall Series, in addition to offering coachings to top Laureates of the Sphinx Competition. “We are deeply moved by Yo-Yo’s commitment to Sphinx’s mission and are grateful for the tremendous generosity of his spirit. This represents an immense opportunity for generations of tomorrow’s artists, in addition to the work of the Sphinx Organization itself,” shared Aaron Dworkin, Founder and President of the Sphinx Organization.

Sphinx Proudly Welcomes Yo-Yo Ma as Special Artistic Advisor

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

Yo-Yo Ma coaches Sphinx Laureate Tony Rymer as collaborative pianist Dina Vainshtein looks on.

About Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma’s multi-faceted career is a testament to his continual search for new ways to communicate with audiences, and to his personal desire for artistic growth and renewal. Whether performing new or familiar works from the cello repertoire, coming together with colleagues for chamber music or exploring cultures and musical forms outside the Western classical tradition, Mr. Ma strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination.

Yo-Yo Ma maintains a balance between his engagements as soloist with orchestras throughout the world, his recital and chamber music activities, and his work with the Silk Road Project, for which he serves as Artistic Director. He draws inspiration from a wide circle of collaborators, each fueled by the artists’ interactions. Mr. Ma is also widely recognized for his strong commitment to educational programs that bring the world into the classroom and the classroom into the world. While touring, he takes time whenever possible to conduct master classes as well as more informal programs for students – musicians and non-musicians alike. He has also reached young audiences through appearances on “Arthur,” “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” and “Sesame Street.”

One of Mr. Ma’s goals is the exploration of music as a means of communication and as a vehicle for the migrations of ideas across a range of cultures throughout the world. Expanding upon this interest, in 1998, Mr. Ma established the Silk Road Project to promote the study of the cultural, artistic and intellectual traditions along the ancient Silk Road trade route that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Since the Project’s inception, more than 60 works have been commissioned specifically for the Silk Road Ensemble, which tours annually. At the invitation of the New York City Department of Education, in 2009, the Silk Road Project began a multi-year partnership with cultural and educational organizations to pilot Silk Road Connect, a multidisciplinary middle school engagement program designed to spark a lifelong passion for learning. In Silk Road Connect, visual and aural elements are used alongside the experiences of creating and collaborating, making direct connections to classroom work in subjects such as Social Studies, English Language Arts, the sciences and the arts.

Mr. Ma is an exclusive Sony Classical artist, and his discography of over 75 albums (including more than 15 Grammy Award winners) reflects his wide-ranging interests. He has made several successful recordings that defy categorization, among them “Hush” with Bobby McFerrin, “Appalachia Waltz” and “Appalachian Journey” with Mark O’Connor and Edgar Meyer, and three albums with the Silk Road Ensemble. Mr. Ma’s recent recordings include Mendelssohn Trios with Emanuel Ax and Itzhak Perlman; “Songs of Joy & Peace.” His new album, “The Goat Rodeo Sessions,” with Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile and Stuart Duncan, was released in October 2011. Across this full range of releases, Mr. Ma remains one of the best-selling recording artists in the classical field. All of his recent albums have quickly entered the Billboard chart of classical best sellers, remaining in the Top 15 for extended periods, often with as many as four titles simultaneously on the list. In fall 2009, Sony Classical released a box set of over 90 albums to commemorate Mr. Ma’s 30 years as a Sony recording artist.

Yo-Yo Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris. He began to study the cello with his father at age four and soon came with his family to New York, where he spent most of his formative years. Later, his principal teacher was Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School. He sought out a traditional liberal arts education to expand upon his conservatory training, graduating from Harvard University in 1976.

Mr. Ma has received numerous awards, including the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the Glenn Gould Prize (1999), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Dan David Prize (2006), the Sonning Prize (2006), the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award (2008), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010). Mr. Ma serves as a UN Messenger of Peace and as a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities. He has performed for eight American presidents, most recently at the invitation of President Obama on the occasion of the 56th Inaugural Ceremony.

Mr. Ma and his wife have two children. Mr. Ma plays two instruments, a 1733 Montagnana cello from Venice and the 1712 Davidoff Stradivarius.

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

SUMMER NOTESDear Friends, We hope this message finds you well and that you are enjoying your summer! As the temperatures rise and the sun shines brightly, we’re proud to share with you our most recent and exciting news. We are thrilled to announce that Yo-Yo Ma will be partnering with us in such a meaningful way as Special Artistic Advisor over the next couple of years! We are both truly grateful to him for his extraordinary vision, insightful inspiration and dedication to Sphinx’s work and to enriching the field.

We’re so happy to share that Sphinx Stars: Detroit will be broadcast during the month of July! Every Sunday in July tune in to WADL Detroit - Channel 38 at 7:30 PM EST to see the finalists compete for $10,000! This groundbreaking broadcast

provides the special recognition that these students deserve as they put their time and talent into music from all genres. The broadcast not only underscores the important role music plays in their lives, but also in all our lives. We are especially appreciative of our lead corporate sponsor the Ford Motor Company Fund as well as the additional support from The Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation for making this year’s inaugural Competition possible!

We’re also thankful to the many individuals who recently gave through the Power2Give challenge. Because of you, we were able to raise nearly $10,000 in just 3 days to support our Sphinx Overture program, providing lessons and instruments to aspiring students, while also receiving a 1:1 Match through the Ford Foundation. Because of generous support from individuals like you, Sphinx has been able to transform lives and communities, one note at a time!

With our continued thanks,

-Aaron and Afa

Editor: Alison PiechContributors: Margaret Cassetto, Andre Dowell, Aaron Dworkin, Afa Sadykhly Dworkin, Lindsay VanfleterenDesign & Layout: Julie Renfro

Honorary CommitteeBranford Marsalis, ChairGlenn DicterowNikki GiovanniIda KavafianAni KavafianNigel KennedyJaime LaredoTania LeonYo-Yo E. MaMark O’ConnorChristopher O’RileyItzhak PerlmanToby PerlmanAndré PrevinAwadagin PrattBright ShengLeonard SlatkinNadja Salerno-SonnenbergArnold SteinhardtMichael Tilson ThomasGeorge WalkerJeffrey Zeigler

Board of DirectorsDeidre Lambert-Bounds, ChairAnthony Glover, Vice ChairVivian Pickard, TreasurerCarl Herstein, SecretaryRachel Barton PineDiana Bianchi MoisonMartha DarlingAaron DworkinKenneth FischerMaxine FrankelPatricia GarciaSandra GibsonLinda GillumNorman HerbertHoward HertzAndrea HoffmanMarianne LockwoodJenice Mitchell FordMajorie PearsallDavid RudolphCassandra Seidenfeld LysterSally Stegeman DiCarloAnne TaylorKathy WeaverBeverly WillisDamian Woetzel

© 2013 Sphinx Organization400 Renaissance Center, Ste 2550Detroit, MI 48243 313-877-9100info@SphinxMusic.orgwww.SphinxMusic.org

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“Not only was performing for the President of the United States an incredible opportunity, it was an honor. He mentioned how he ‘never had a private performance in his office,’ and for me, I felt so humbled to not only receive, but to be giving back such a treat for him. I had read that he liked the music of J.S. Bach, so I decided to perform the Prelude from the 6th Cello Suite.”

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder

- 2009 junior division first place Laureate and Make-A-Wish recipient Khari Joyner

Sphinx CompetitionPresenter

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

SPHINX NEWSSphinx Virtuosi and Sphinx Symphony Orchestra double bassist Jonathan Colbert recently won co-principal of the Royal Danish Opera.

Sphinx Virtuosi member Maureen Conlon Gutierrez won a position in the first violin section of the Wheeling Symphony.

Sphinx Competition alum, Maia Cabeza, has won first prize at the 8th International Leopold Mozart International violin Competition.

Sphinx Medals of Excellence recipient and pianist Jade Simmons was selected to host the 2013 Cliburn Competition Webcast. Simmons returns after a successful run as the competition’s first-ever webcast host in 2009, followed by a 2011 stint in St. Petersburg as host of the Violin Division of the Tchaikovsky International Music Competition in Russia.

2012 Sphinx Competition junior division semi-finalist and violinist Mira Williams and her quartet, Quartet Lumiére, won the junior division of the 2013 National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.

Alexander Cox, 2011 senior division semi-finalist and cellist, is a member of the Omer Quartet who won both the Gold Medal in the Senior String Division and the Grand Prize of the 2013 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

In their Summer 2013 issue, Stamford Plus Magazine profiled the work being done by Angie Durrell a Sphinx Performance Academy (SPA) alumna and former Assistant Dean of SPA through her own non profit organization, INTAKE.

On May 17, 2013, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) presented the Victor Herbert Award to ASCAP member and previous Sphinx Composer Tania León, Founder & Artistic Director of Composers Now Festival and Distinguished Professor at City University of New York. The award, given during ASCAP’s 14th annual Concert Music Awards, will be given to León in celebration of her 70th year and for her achievements as composer, conductor, educator, mentor, composer advocate and exemplary musical citizen.

Sphinx would like to note the passing of legendary cellist Janos Starker. During the early stages of Sphinx, he was kind and understanding of our mission, having supported the careers of some of our key artists and teaching some of the greatest cellists of our time, including key alumni of the Sphinx Competition as well as the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra.

Send us your news and updates: QuarterNote@SphinxMusic.

We are celebrating the 10th Anniversaryof our Sphinx Virtuosi

at Carnegie Hall concert series!

Join us on Tuesday, October 8th at 6 p.m. for the 2013 Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall co-presented by Bloomberg and the Sander and Norma K. Buchman Fund.

Reserve your tickets today! Contact Lindsay Vanfleteren at Lindsay@SphinxMusic.org or 313-877-9100, ext. 717 for Gala tickets and participation levels, which begin at $250 and support our music education programs in the New York and tri-state area.

For General Admission, student and group ticket reservations, please contact Margaret Cassetto at 313-877-9100, ext. 714 or Margaret@SphinxMusic.org.

In celebration of Detroit’s musical talent, Sphinx is pleased to announce the

broadcast premiere of

Lead Corporate Sponsor: Additional support provided byThe Maxine and Stuart

Frankel Foundation

Tune in to WADL Detroit - Channel 38 every Sunday in July at 7:30 PM EST

and watch to see who wins the $10,000 Grand Prize!

www.SphinxStars.org

Tristan Cappel, 17alto saxophone

Marina Kondo, 17voice

Caleb Washington, 14piano

Jasmine Granger, 14voice

Julian Pavone, 8drums

Rachel Lee Williams, 17voice and guitar

Kameron Johnson, 13jazz piano

Jaliyah Turner, 18voice

Oliver Xu, 17marimba

The Renaissance Chapter of the Links

Presented by

2013 Sphinx Competition first place Laureate and cellist, Christine Lamprea, took some time to answer a few of our burning questions about what she’s doing this summer, giving us the highlights from the year and what’s next for her as she moves back to New York City.

QuarterNote: So let’s get caught up! What have you been doing since you won the Sphinx Competition in February?

Christine Lamprea: Hi! Life has been really busy!! About two weeks after Sphinx, I won the Schadt Competition in Allentown, PA. Since then, I’ve given a couple

400 Renaissance CenterSuite 2550Detroit MI 48243

Somethingto Ponder:

“Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.” - George Eliot

recitals, graduated with my Master of Music degree, and moved all my things out of my apartment in Boston. I’m playing with the Houston Symphony in a few hours from now, and I’m playing with New Jersey Symphony on June 27. Then vacation!!

QN: We were excited to hear that you’ve recently been signed by Astral. What do you hope that experience will be like?

CL: Thank you! Astral Artists is a non-profit organization that helps young artists with their early career development. The president and staff are incredibly warm people that are invested in their artists in not only a business capacity, but also a personal one. It is a great unit of support that I can count on (just like Sphinx!) as I make my way through this crazy music world. Through Astral, I hope to meet other musicians and people dedicated to the cause of sharing music and see what projects come of those relationships.

QN: You also just performed at the League of American Orchestra Conference in Houston, how will

that impact your career?

CL: When I was at the LAO conference, my priority was, aside from playing well, to learn as much as I could from the people around me. There’s a lot to take from these experiences by just listening. I met artist managers, orchestra conductors, board members, and more. Right now, all I want to do is continue to cultivate relationships with interesting people, and not force anything to happen. You never know which conversation will bring up a great idea to pursue.

QN: What are your summer plans?

CL: Vacation!! I’m spending some time with my family in Texas, may do some traveling, and preparing for my move back to New York City.

QN: What music are you listening to these days?

CL: Geminiani sonatas, Britten Cello Suites and Cello Symphony, off the top of my head. I also enjoy browsing Spotify for musicians I haven’t discovered. Recently, I discovered Bebe, one of my new

Q & A with Christine Lampreafavorite Latin pop singers.

QN: What advice would you give to musicians preparing for and applying to the Sphinx Competition?

CL: Have priorities straight before going. Loving music and sharing it, not winning a competition, should be number one.

QN: What’s next for you in the fall and beyond?

CL: As I mentioned before, I’m moving back to New York in August. I’ll be doing some freelancing and teaching (call me! Looking for students!), playing some more dates through Sphinx and Astral, and exploring the endless creative possibilities New York has to offer. In terms of “beyond,” I don’t really know what to expect, but I certainly didn’t expect to be where I am now at this time last year. I think it’s best to just be flexible and open to new creative opportunities.

To learn more about Christine please visit: sphinxmusic.org/bio-christine-lamprea.html

Aaron P. Dworkin Founder