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Press Releases
Sphinx Organization Announces 2025-2026 Highlights
Contact: Katy Salomon | Primo Artists | VP, Public Relations
katy@primoartists.com | 646.801.9406
Contact: Saratoga Schaefer | Primo Artists | Publicist
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Sphinx Organization Announces 2025-2026 Highlights
Sphinx Virtuosi Tour Visions of Peace Program Nationwide,
Feat. Return to Carnegie Hall in October 2025 and a Spring 2026 Tour With Violinist Randall Goosby
2026 SphinxConnect: Discover! and 2026 Sphinx Competition
Return to Detroit from January 21 to 24, 2026
“Sphinx’s steady, patient work has come to seem prescient.”
– The New York Times
“...the Sphinx way was to play with a fire lit under every phrase.”
– The Boston Globe
New York, NY (August 27, 2025) – The Sphinx Organization, the leading non-profit dedicated to transforming lives through the power of the arts, announces its 2025-2026 season highlights, which consist of a national tour by the self-conducted string orchestra Sphinx Virtuosi, including a new program Visions of Peace at Carnegie Hall and Philadelphia Chamber Music Society; and the 29th annual Sphinx Competition and SphinxConnect: Discover! In Detroit, MI, from January 22-24, 2026. Focused on increasing representation in classical music and celebrating excellence, Sphinx programs serve beginner students, seasoned classical music professionals, cultural entrepreneurs, and administrators.
The Sphinx Virtuosi—described as "top-notch...more essential at this moment than ever" (The New York Times) and having "immeasurable power, unwavering command, and soulful beauty" (The Washington Post)—embarks on an exciting 2025-2026 season centered around their new program Visions of Peace. Visions of Peace imagines a world where music serves as an emissary of reconciliation and unity. Featuring works from exciting contemporary composers Clarice Assad, Jessie Montgomery, and Quenton Blache, plus selections by José White Lafitte, William Grant Still (Suite for Violin or Cello and String Orchestra, arranged by Randall Goosby), Sergei Prokofiev (Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 Stalingrad, arranged for string orchestra by Rubén Rengel), and Alberto Ginastera, this collection of new and familiar voices transcends borders in a jubilant celebration of the human spirit. Returning to Carnegie Hall on October 17, 2025, the Sphinx Virtuosi will present several New York premieres as part of Visions of Peace.
Clarice Assad's Impressions is a celebration of the vibrancy of sound, color, and spirit. On our journey toward peace, moving forward together as one, this music resonates with the constant resolve that this suite showcases in sound and form. Assad's intention was not merely to compose music but to create a vivid musical portrait celebrating the individuality, spirit, and unique flair of each musician within the New Century Chamber Orchestra, for whom this work was originally commissioned. The music reflects their first interactions with the composer herself. The composer integrates lively Brazilian rhythms—hints of choro, samba, and salon dances—within a string ensemble context, merging classical textures with the rhythmic vitality of her homeland. The Sphinx Virtuosi spent time in Brazil in 2022 and came away deeply inspired by the country’s music and people. This choice is, in part, an homage, as well as a celebration of the work itself.
“Chemiluminescence” is the scientific term to describe any chemical reaction that produces light from a non-light source, such as a firefly rubbing its wings to produce a glow, or bioluminescence along ocean’s edge, or the light produced from a cracked glow stick. The light produced can present varied qualities, such as infrared, visible, or ultraviolet. Jessie Montgomery’s Chemiluminescence is a piece in three distinct sections, each of which interprets light, agitation, reaction, and frenetic interplay in its orchestration. “As a composer, interpreting light sources and their resulting reflections and hues is an endless field of potential sound exploration,” says Montgomery. “I used my impressions on this idea to create harmonies, colors, and blends I feel are unique to the string orchestra with its ability to bend and shift timbres in an instant.” The work represents Montgomery’s continued interest in finding a correlation between music and the natural world.
Arranged by Randall Goosby, William Grant Still’s Suite for Violin or Cello and String Orchestra is a powerful testament to the richness, resilience, and unwavering spirit of Black culture. Each movement was inspired by a sculpture created during the Harlem Renaissance, and each one depicts a unique facet of the Black experience. The first movement is inspired by Richmond Barthé’s sculpture, African Dancer, through which Barthé aimed to portray the spirituality of his people. The second movement, Mother and Child, is the heart and soul of this piece and is inspired by the work of Sargent Johnson. The final movement is derived from Augusta Savage’s sculpture, Gamin, depicting a mischievous young boy (specifically, Savage’s nephew, Ellis Ford) roaming the streets of Harlem. “There is so much joy and humour in this music, and I wanted to reflect that in the orchestra part,” Goosby says. “You will hear pops of pizzicato throughout the ensemble, as well as some jabs of call and response between the solo part and principal players that I hope will leave a smile on your face!”
Confucius’s enigmatic counsel to “Study the past if you would define the future” anchors the profound duality that pillars Quenton Blache’s Visions of Peace. The journey begins through a solitary voice’s contemplation of our shared history, entreating us to reflect as the sage did millennia ago. Its melodious question ripples through the ensemble, burgeoning, until a hymn-like prayer, the heart of the work, comes forth. This anthem for a better world is heralded by serene harmonic slides in the double basses, hope and spirit made into sound. In accelerating bursts of vitality, Baroque-era motifs echo our past and oppose the lush, modal harmony of the prayer. This duality crests as the call is answered: a vision of peace materializes, utopian and exaltant. As Blache reflects that peace is more mosaic than clear glass, the epilogue offers wishes of solace, and a final “amen” rings.
Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 “Stalingrad” is arranged for string orchestra by Rubén Rengel. Prokofiev, one of the Soviet Union’s most celebrated composers, was living through a period of upheaval. Having returned permanently to the USSR in 1936 after years abroad, he navigated a complex role: a world-renowned artist whose music was both championed and scrutinized under the watchful eye of Soviet cultural authorities. During the war years, Prokofiev composed three piano sonatas — Nos. 6, 7, and 8—which later came to be known collectively as the “War Sonatas.” The Seventh Sonata, completed in 1942 and dedicated to the memory of Prokofiev’s friends who had perished in the war, is perhaps the most harrowing of the three. In this performance, violinist and arranger Rubén Rengel—a member of the Sphinx Organization’s extended family of artists—reimagines the sonata for an 18-member, self-conducted string orchestra. This performance invites listeners to confront a paradox: how a work born of destruction and conflict can, decades later, serve as a reminder of resilience, solidarity, and the enduring human longing for peace. Prokofiev’s Seventh Sonata does not offer easy comfort—instead, it challenges us to listen to the sounds of war and imagine, all the more vividly, the peace that must follow.
The final piece in the Visions of Peace program is Alberto Ginastera’s Concerto For Strings, Op. 33 IV. Finale. Ginastera, widely considered to be Argentina’s most revered classical composer, was deeply involved in promoting and developing his nation’s musical life. Among Ginastera’s most important chamber works is his String Quartet No. 2, composed in 1958. In 1965, Ginastera orchestrated the quartet into the virtuosic Concerto per Corde, Op. 33 (“Concerto for Strings”), premiered the following year by the Philadelphia Orchestra. The Finale Furioso featured in this concert is a relentless, fierce movement of perpetual motion, blazing with rhythmic verve and masterfully crafted for the string instruments that drive its obsessive, wild dance.
The Sphinx Virtuosi Fall 2025 tour also includes appearances with cellist Sterling Elliott at Zoellner Arts Center on October 3, 2025; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on October 5, 2025; University of North Carolina - Wilmington on October 8, 2025; Brevard Music Center on October 10, 2025; Philadelphia Chamber Music Society on October 16, 2025; Carnegie Hall on October 17, 2025; Shriver Hall Concert Series on October 19, 2025; Chamber Music Pittsburgh on October 21, 2025; Cleveland Institute of Music on October 22, 2025; Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on October 25, 2025; and the Westminster Performing Arts Series on October 28, 2025.
In Spring 2026, Sphinx Virtuosi continues their tour of Visions of Peace, starting with the Candler Concert Series at Emory University's Schwartz Center for Performing Arts on February 19, 2026, featuring cellist Sterling Elliott. For the rest of the Spring tour, Sphinx Virtuosi is joined by violinist Randall Goosby at venues including University of Georgia on February 21, 2026; Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University on February 24, 2026; Opening Nights at Florida State University on February 26, 2026; Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis on March 5, 2026; Segerstrom Center for the Arts, presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County on March 11, 2026; Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara on March 12, 2026; and Colburn School on March 15, 2026.
From January 21 to January 24, 2026, in Detroit, MI, Sphinx will host the 29th Annual Sphinx Competition, a national competition for string musicians that transforms lives by celebrating artistic talent, providing career advancement opportunities, and addressing systemic obstacles within Black and Latino communities. Finalists in both divisions have the opportunity to perform with the professional Sphinx Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Panamanian-American conductor Kalena Bovell (recipient of the 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence). Finalists are comprised of top professionals from around the country, and compete for a total of more than $100,000 in prizes, including the top Robert Frederick Smith Prize. All semi-finalists and finalists have access to scholarships and fine instruments through the Sphinx Music Assistance Fund.
From January 22-24, 2026, Sphinx brings back the largest and longest-standing global convening dedicated to excellence and inclusion in classical music, SphinxConnect: Discover! This convening brings together musicians, educators, arts entrepreneurs, advocates, administrators, funders, and students for an enriching experience. With dynamic sessions designed to inspire, ignite action, and foster collaboration, attendees will hear from more than distinguished speakers, including keynote addresses by industry luminaries and trailblazers.
To reduce barriers to access, SphinxConnect: Discover! will offer both in-person and virtual attendance options, with sessions being streamed, recorded, and uploaded to YouTube following the convening (unless noted otherwise in the schedule). SphinxConnect will take place at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. This year’s conference will feature plenary appearances by Imani Winds and other guest speakers, to be announced soon.
Sphinx Virtuosi 2025-2026 Season Calendar
Program Unless Otherwise Listed:
José White Lafitte – La Bella Cubana
Clarice Assad – Selections from Impressions (II. Fusion, Dança Brasileira, and IV. Precision, Perpetual Motion)
Jessie Montgomery – Chemiluminescence [New York Philharmonic and Bravo! Vail Co-Commission]
William Grant Still - Suite for Violin or Cello and String Orchestra [Arranged by Randall Goosby; NWS/Carnegie Co-Commission]
Quenton Blache – Visions of Peace [NWS/Carnegie Co-Commission]
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 Stalingrad [Arranged for string orchestra by Rubén Rengel]
Alberto Ginastera – Concerto For Strings, Op. 33 IV. Finale
Friday, October 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Zoellner Arts Center Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Zoellner Arts Center | Bethlehem, PA
Link: zoellner.cas.lehigh.edu/content/sphinx-virtuosi
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Sunday, October 5, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum | Boston, MA
Link: www.gardnermuseum.org/calendar/sphinx-virtuosi-10.5.25
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 7:30 PM
University of North Carolina - Wilmington Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Kenan Auditorium | Wilmington, NC
Link: uncwarts.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=2100
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Friday, October 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Brevard Music Center Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Brevard Music Center | Brevard, NC
Link: https://secured.brevardmusic.org/1773
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Perelman Theater | Philadelphia, PA
Link: www.pcmsconcerts.org/concerts/sphinx-virtuosi-elliott/#
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Friday, October 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Carnegie Hall Presents Sphinx Virtuosi, Visions of Peace
Carnegie Hall | New York, NY
Link: www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2025/10/17/Sphinx-Virtuosi-0700PM
Program:
José White Lafitte – La Bella Cubana
Clarice Assad – Perpetual Motion
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 Stalingrad [Arranged for string orchestra by Rubén Rengel]
Quenton Blache – Visions of Peace [NY Premiere; co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall]
William Grant Still – Suite for Violin and Orchestra [arr. for cello and orchestra by Randall Goosby] [NY Premiere]
Alberto Ginastera – Concerto For Strings, Op. 33 IV. Finale
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Shriver Hall Concert Series Presents Sphinx Virtuosi & Sterling Elliot
Shriver Hall | Baltimore, MD
Link: www.shriverconcerts.org/sphinx
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Chamber Music Pittsburgh Presents Sphinx Virtuosi with Sterling Elliott
Carnegie Music Hall | Pittsburgh, PA
Link: www.chambermusicpittsburgh.org/25-26-mainstage-sphinx-virtuosi-w-sterling-eliott/
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Cleveland Institute of Music Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Cleveland Institute of Music | Cleveland, OH
Link: https://www.cim.edu/concerts-events/perspectives-sphinx-virtuosi
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Forllinger Great Hall | Urbana, IL
Link: www.krannertcenter.com/events/sphinx-virtuosi
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Westminster Performing Arts Series Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Westminster Presbyterian Church | Minneapolis, MN
Link: westminstermpls.org/WPAS
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Candler Concert Series: Sphinx Virtuosi with Sterling Elliott, cello
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University | Atlanta, GA
Link: schwartz.emory.edu/sphinx-virtuosi
Sphinx Virtuosi
Sterling Elliott, cello
Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 7:30 PM
University of Georgia Presents Sphinx Virtuosi & Randall Goosby, violin
Ramsey Concert Hall | Athens, GA
Link: pac.uga.edu/event/sphinx-virtuosi-randall-goosby-violin/
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Gogue Performing Arts Center Presents Sphinx Virtuosi with Randall Goosby, violin
Auburn University | Auburn, AL
Link: goguecenter.auburn.edu/sphinx/
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Opening Nights at Florida State University Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Ruby Diamond Concert Hall | Tallahassee, FL
Link: music.fsu.edu/2025/06/23/2025-2026-concert-season-celebrating-125-years-of-music/
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Mondavi Center Presents Sphinx Virtuosi with Randall Goosby
Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis | Davis, CA
Link: www.mondaviarts.org/whats-on/sphinx-virtuosi/
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Philharmonic Society of Orange County Presents Sphinx Virtuosi with Randall Goosby
Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall | Costa Mesa, CA
Link: www.philharmonicsociety.org/concerts-events/sphinx-virtuosi-randall-goosby
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara Presents Visions of Peace
Lobero Theatre | Santa Barbara, CA
Link: www.camasb.org/masterseries-2025-2026/#2026-03-12
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Colburn School Presents Sphinx Virtuosi
Zipper Hall | Los Angeles, CA
Link: https://colburnschool.edu/calendar/events/sphinx-virtuosi-visions-of-peace/
Sphinx Virtuosi
Randall Goosby, violin
SphinxConnect and Sphinx Competition Calendar
SphinxConnect 2026: Discover
January 22-24, 2026
Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center | Detroit, MI
Information: www.sphinxconnect.org/
29th Annual Sphinx Competition
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Saturday, January 24, 2026
Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center | Detroit, MI
Information: www.sphinxmusic.org/sphinx-competition
Junior Division Honors Concert
Friday, January 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center | Detroit, MI
Information: www.sphinxmusic.org/sphinx-competition
Senior Division Finals Concert
Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center | Detroit, MI
Link: www.dso.org/events-and-tickets/events/25-26-winter/29th-annual-sphinx-competition-finals-concert
About Sphinx Virtuosi
Sphinx Virtuosi is a dynamic, self-conducted chamber orchestra and the flagship performing ensemble of the Sphinx Organization, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to transforming the arts. Comprising 18 of the nation’s most accomplished professional string players, Sphinx Virtuosi is redefining classical music through artistic excellence, pioneering programming, and cultural leadership.
Recognized for their artistry and commanding presence, Sphinx Virtuosi has been praised by The New York Times as “top-notch... more essential at this moment than ever.” The Strad lauds their “elegant ascent into the upper ranks of string orchestras,” a testament to their growing influence in the field. With performances that captivate audiences nationwide, their annual Carnegie Hall appearance has become a celebrated highlight of the fall season. Their critically acclaimed debut album, Songs for Our Times (Deutsche Grammophon) was hailed as “a knockout” by Gramophone, which praised their “consistently polished and passionate performances.”
Members of Sphinx Virtuosi are sought-after soloists, chamber musicians, and faculty members at top institutions. They have performed with major American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and the Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras. Beyond the concert stage, they are artist-citizens, leading impactful community initiatives and fostering deep engagement with audiences worldwide.
Sphinx Virtuosi has collaborated with legendary artists such as Terence Blanchard, Denyce Graves, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Damien Sneed, Will Liverman, J’Nai Bridges, Abel Selaocoe, and Davóne Tines. Members of Sphinx Virtuosi have also worked with cultural icons like Beyoncé and Jay-Z, with high-profile appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and the GRAMMY Awards.
Sphinx Virtuosi Tours are made possible through the support of Robert F. Smith, JPMorgan Chase, and National Endowment for the Arts. Learn more at www.SphinxMusic.org/sphinx-virtuosi.
About Sphinx Organization
The Sphinx Organization is dedicated to transforming lives through the power of the arts and has reached more than 100 million people worldwide.
Focused on increasing representation in classical music and celebrating excellence, Sphinx programs serve beginner students, seasoned classical music professionals, cultural entrepreneurs, and artistic administrators by addressing the systemic lack of access within Black and Latino communities.
Based in Detroit, Michigan, with global reach, Sphinx envisions a day where every young person has the opportunity to express themselves and learn classical music, where audiences reflect the people we see on our streets, and where leadership – on stage and off – includes all deserving voices. We are working toward a future in which our art form reflects our greater society. Learn more at www.SphinxMusic.org.
*Photo Credit: Scott Jackson
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