Sphinx Virtuosi
Music journalist Steve Roby interviewed Alex Gonzalez, Sphinx Virtuosi’s Concertmaster and Assistant Professor at CU Boulder’s College of Music. Comprised of 18 talented black and Latinx artists, Sphinx Virtuosi’s goal is to evolve and transform the face of classical music through artistic excellence. They will perform on Wednesday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the June Swaner Gates Concert Hall.
Steve Roby: Alex, welcome to KGNU Community Radio.
Alex Gonzalez: Thank you so much for having me.
Roby: Could you tell our listeners about the Sphinx organization and how you got involved?
Gonzalez: The Sphinx organization has a mission statement that it’s for a social justice arts organization, and it’s dedicated to transforming the lives of others through the power of diversity in the arts. Over its 27-year period, the organization has really lived up to that.
The main core of the organization is the Sphinx Competition. This annual string competition is for black and Latinx string players, and this happens in Detroit, where the organization is based. It was the flagship [event] that started the organization.
And since then, they’ve branched out into many educational opportunities. They have lots of initiatives for beginners, like public school programs. They have the Sphinx Performance Academy, which is a full scholarship program for pre-college string players across the United States.
In addition to that, we have some administrative support for aspiring arts administrators. The sector that I’m involved in mostly is the performing side. So, in addition to the roster of soloists, they have a couple of chamber groups they’ve started, like the Harlem Quartet and the Catalyst Quartets.
They’ve also started the Exigence Vocal Ensemble, which is one of their newer groups. And lastly is the Sphinx Virtuosi, which is the one that I’m a part of, which, as you said, is a set of 18 string players, and we play in an unconducted orchestra that tours all over the country…
