Courtesy: Scott Jackson, Sphinx Virtuosi
Sphinx Virtuosi will perform at the West Virginia University (WVU) College of Creative Arts and Media’s Canady Creative Arts Center on October 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Founded in 2004, the highly acclaimed self-conducted chamber orchestra frequently performs at Carnegie Hall in New York City and has served as a soloist for the New York Philharmonic and the Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Seattle Symphony Orchestras. The orchestra also performed on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, was featured at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards and has collaborated with major artists, including Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Sphinx Virtuosi is comprised of Black and Latino artists who serve as cultural ambassadors across the United States. The orchestra aims to “evolve the breadth and impact of classical music through artistic excellence, pioneering programming, and impassioned community engagement.”
The orchestra is the flagship performing group of the Sphinx Organization, a non-profit seeking to transform lives through the power of the arts. The organization supports and provides opportunities to promote artistic excellence among Black and Latino communities from young musicians to administrators.
Along with performing, Sphinx Virtuosi uses its tours to engage with the communities they visit, interacting with all ages and demographics through special performances and activities. The tours are supported by Robert F. Smith, JP Morgan Chase and the National Endowment for the Arts. This season is also supported by an ArtsCONNECT grant from Mid-Atlantic Arts, which supports performers and their performances in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Jamie Whoolery, Assistant Dean of Production, Presentation, Operations and Cultural Engagement at the College of Creative Arts and Media, said he is excited to bring Sphinx Virtuosi to Morgantown.
“This chamber orchestra epitomizes the Sphinx Organization's mission of championing social change through diversity in music by bringing historically underrepresented composers to underserved populations,” Whoolery said. “Bringing a group of this size incurs a lot of additional expenses as we provide housing and hospitality during their stay. It is only through the generous support of donors and grant-makers that we can bring artists of this caliber and scale to our campus.”
While visiting WVU, members of the orchestra will conduct masterclasses with students and will participate in a post-concert discussion about their work and how music can serve as a catalyst for conversations around issues of social justice.
To purchase tickets for the Sphinx Virtuosi performance, visit go.wvu.edu/ccam-tickets. For more information about Sphinx Virtuosi and the Sphinx Organization, visit sphinxmusic.org.