Afa & Aaron Dwarkin.Portrait Session
The first of its kind, Sphinx is an organization made up of Black and Latinx musicians and focuses on affording young minority talents an opportunity to excel in the world of classical music which has historically been dominated by people of European descent. Since its inception, the program has received tremendous support and has continued to grow in numbers of students and programs, and many alumni such as my cousin Edith Yokley have kept close ties with the organization as well as going on to have very successful careers. The model set by Sphinx has also served as a source of inspiration for other programs both here and abroad, and the results are starting to show in the world of classical music everywhere. I had the privilege to speak with Afa Dworkin who is the president and artistic director of The Sphinx Organization about the Sphinx’s history, the state of classical music today, and much more, and I was truly blown away at all that this organization has done and continues to do.
Can you give us a little history as to what led up to the founding of Sphinx in 1997?
The organization’s founding and mission were informed by the life experiences of Aaron Dworkin, who, as a young Black violinist, was acutely aware of the lack of diversity both on stage and in the audience in concert halls. He founded Sphinx while an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, to address the stark under-representation of Black and Latinx musicians in classical music. President Obama’s first appointment to the National Council on the Arts, Aaron P. Dworkin currently serves as dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance. The organization launched its first program, the Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latinx string players and quickly grew into a conglomerate of programs spanning education, artist engagement/career advancement, arts leadership, and beyond. It is now a movement, rather than just one entity, with international programming, 100,000 youth reached, and annual audiences of more than 2 million.
Having majored in classical studies myself and not seeing many minorities in the programs I participated in, I would imagine that many were excited at the inception of a program like Sphinx– I’d say it is even a necessity! When it was founded was it a slow process of building the program or did it take off rather quickly?
Sphinx, in many ways, was an unprecedented initiative. As an organization, one of a kind with its mission, it resonated quickly with young people, families, and professional musicians of color who joined the movement early. Its impact was readily apparent but the road toward building a sustainable enterprise with strong resources to do our work was a much more challenging process. Ultimately, because the need was so evident, we have been able to grow in impact and grow our ranks of partners and supporters.
If you could tell us about the four program pipeline and how it has helped to nurture diversity and inclusion in the modern field of classical music?
Sphinx works to create positive change throughout the pathway. In 24+ years, Sphinx has:
- Developed a network of over 800+ Black and Latinx classical musicians
- Created six professional/touring ensembles comprised of Black and Latinx classical musicians, including the first and only Black and Latinx professional orchestra which tours annually across the nation
- Commissioned 25+ works by composers of color, now creating another 6 consortia of orchestras to continue the commissions for the next 2 years
- Reached more than 2 million in audiences through online, television, and radio broadcasts each year
- Established robust and longstanding partnerships with over 100+ arts, cultural and educational institutions worldwide, including close partnerships with 75 orchestras nationwide
- Launched an annual convening (the only one of its kind) with a focus on diversity and inclusion, attracting 1000+ live participants
- Featured Black and Latinx artists in front of most major orchestras across the country and in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and the World Economic Forum in Davos
- Had an annual economic impact of nearly $7.5 million as part of the creative economy
Could you share with us some moments that you feel were crowning achievements in the history of the organization, if you can? I know they may all feel like that!
Being able to witness our young artists perform at The White House for Michelle Obama, while the organization received its national distinction, is among them. The sense of awe amongst musicians when they first step onto the stage of Carnegie Hall in 2004 is another. Each time I read about or hear about another achievement by our artists, I am filled with pride and validation for the essential importance of our mission today.
Since the inception of Sphinx, have you all noticed a rise of participation from minorities in the field of classical music in the Detroit/Chicago area and beyond?
Absolutely. I feel it is important to reflect upon not only the incredible achievement of our professional artists but also the young people in pursuit of musical studies. Early on, we were challenged to form the first full class for our preparatory program, while now, we have waiting lists, and less than 30% of all applicants are accepted to our summer intensive programs today. There is not a lack of talent, nor the desire among young people.
What are some of the challenges that an organization of this size and magnitude face to keep operating at such a high level and how can people help support the organization?
Ultimately, securing enough resources to propel our work forward is the biggest challenge. In a world where philanthropic dollars are always in high competition, being able to secure the funding, remain relevant, and continue to build the institution is the most important challenge.
It seems that because of organizations such as Sphinx, the focus on diversity is becoming more and more prevalent in the world of classical music, which is a great thing! What else can be done currently to help further this idea of more diversity? With the injustices and violence across the country, the attention must be turned toward equity and representation. It is a transformative time, and most importantly, a time to turn our verbal commitment to diversity into our actionable accountability. Institutions large and small must focus on engaging Black and Latinx artists, presenters, music schools, and importantly, corporations and other philanthropic entities must support social justice by directing meaningful resources and dollars toward change.
How is Sphinx adapting to the current climate with Covid-19 and what are the plans for the future past this pandemic?
Most recently, in response to the deaths and violence against George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others, and in solidarity with the community outcry and demand for racial justice and equality, I wanted to share Sphinx’s statement and call to action viewed by more than 15,000 people. This statement is underscored by culturally significant and social justice-minded performances, including Elegy: In Memoriam – Stephen Lawrence, written by Philip Herbert and performed by the Sphinx Virtuosi and Lift Every Voice and Sing, arranged by Joel Thompson and performed by EXIGENCE vocal ensemble.
As an organization, Sphinx has lost many concerts to the ripple effects of COVID-19; however, the impact on Sphinx’s artists has been even greater. In response, Sphinx launched the Sphinx Artist Fund to assist musicians who have lost wages/career opportunities due to the pandemic. In this period, we have been able to grant more than 110K+ in relief to our artists.
Sphinx has set a wonderful example and other organizations such as the Chineke Foundation are starting to come about! Do you see other organizations coming into fruition as a result of the precedent set by the Sphinx Organization?
Absolutely: one of the important ways in which Sphinx hopes to be the catalyst is the launch of programs and initiatives which will forward the cause. We are stronger together, and it has been such a source of joy to watch many of our alumni launch their own efforts, as well as partner institutions who want to work together and launch their own initiatives. Importantly, through our LEAD program, we hope to see more and more brilliant leaders of color take the helm of institutions around the country, to propel change and evolve our field through innovative leadership.
This article hit home on a personal level. Having majored in classical studies in college, both in undergraduate and graduate studies, I can probably count all the classical majors of African American descent on one hand for all six years of college….possibly a few fingers on the other. Luckily I lived in Pittsburgh, PA at the time which had (and still does) a fantastic orchestra, and the principal timpanist at the time, Tim Adams is African American. Also, a fellow saxophonist, Chris Hemingway who was an upperclassman also majored in classical studies. Both great artists with exceptional work ethics, both whom I modeled myself after in many ways. So I was lucky to have two great influences to follow coming in as a freshman back in 2000, but I remember distinctly always wondering why there are not more people who look like me in these universities and ensembles. So when I found out about the Sphinx Organization and others like Chineke, it warmed my heart to see that things are changing. We now have African Americans who are principal players in orchestras such as Anthony McGill, who plays principal clarinet for the New York Philharmonic, and his brother Demarre McGill who plays principal flute for the Seattle Symphony, and many more orchestras continue to have more people of color in them.
I hope this article will shed some light on the important work that the Sphinx Organization is doing and how it just takes one to start something incredible. I believe we will continue to see great things from Sphinx, both in their programs and in the inspired artists they send off into the world.
Photo credit: Kevin Kennedy
For further information on please visit http://www.sphinxmusic.org/
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