Podcasts about Sphinx Organization

In this episode, our new producer, Lauren Williams, revisits an old genre through a new lens. Classical music, a historically exclusionary space, is going through changes. We explore the process of writing and performing boundary-pushing classical music with Seth Parker Woods, a Grammy-nominated cello player who pulls from the sounds and stories of the Black diaspora to write otherworldly compositions, and Curtis Stewart, a Grammy-nominated Violinist who experiments with beats and electronics in his virtuosic arrangements. We get a taste of how far the genre has come — and how far it has to go — from Afa Dworkin, a violinist and the creative director of The Sphinx Organization, which supports emerging composers of color. To wrap up the episode, we hear from Abel Selaocoe, a classical cellist from South Africa who has gifted the genre something new to play by tapping into ancestral memory. PA 030

Performance psychologist Noa Kageyama (NY License #19280) is on the faculty of The Juilliard School and the Cleveland Institute of Music. A conservatory-trained violinist with degrees from Oberlin and Juilliard before completing a Ph.D. in counseling psychology at Indiana University, Noa now specializes in working with performing artists, teaching them how to utilize sport psychology principles and more consistently perform up to their full abilities under pressure.He has conducted workshops for institutions ranging from Northwestern University, New England Conservatory, Peabody, Eastman, Curtis, McGill University, and the U.S. Armed Forces School of Music, to programs such as the Starling-Delay Symposium, The Perlman Music Program, and the National Orchestral Institute, and for organizations like the Music Teachers' National Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Sphinx Organization, the Performing Arts Medicine Association, and the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.Noa's work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, CNN, Slate, TED-Ed, Musical America, Strings Magazine, Strad, and Lifehacker. He has taught over 8000 musicians, educators, and learners through his online courses, and authors The Bulletproof Musician - a performance psychology blog and podcast which reaches over 45,000 subscribers every week.www.bulletproofmusician.com

MacArthur Fellow, social entrepreneur, multimedia artist, and founder of the Sphinx Organization, Aaron Dworkin, discusses his new memoir, "Lessons in Gratitude." Plus, we celebrate Whole World Improv Theater's 30th anniversary and we hear about the No Words Music Festival, which takes place at multiple Atlanta venues October 11-13.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eric Rubio, the Director of Finance and Administration for The Washington Chorus was our latest guest on the "Embracing Arlington Arts Talks" podcast. He gave us the scoop on what Arts Management professionals do and how the industry has changed after COVID, as well as details about The Washington Chorus, its mission, upcoming season, importance and who to become a singing member. He also briefed us on his fellowship at the Sphinx Organization and its emphasis on arts advocacy, and explained why he wanted to join the Embracing Arlington Arts Board of Directors (which he did!).

Part 1 – Neville James is joined by virgin islander Tynneta McIntosh, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Firmwide Employee Communications at JPMorgan Chase and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Sphinx Organization as they talk about music and an upcoming performance at the Forum.  Neville then engages in Table Talk with Ronald Russell, Donald "Ducks" Cole and Almando "Rocky" Liburd as they discuss current events. 

This week I'm highlighting an episode from the archive, with the engaging and talented Leslie DeShazor  who is a multi-style violist,  violinist and composer based in Detroit. She teaches students both through the Sphinx Organization and the Detroit Symphony as well as privately. She was named one of thirty Professional Movers and Shakers in the Performing Arts by Musical America in 2019 and in 2022 she released her jazz and R&B album “Journey With Me” which features herself as soloist, bandleader, and composer, and "Simply Complicated" from that album is part of this podcast episode. This conversation was full of stories and insights from Leslie's life. She shared valuable perspectives that educators, parents and anyone who mentors children and young adults will find inspiring and thought-provoking. We talked a lot about why kids quit playing music, why so many young adults today have trouble figuring out the direction of their life, and how the educational system can take away people's innate creativity and confidence. Link to video and transcript on my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/leslie-deshazor Link to Leslie DeShazor's website: https://lesliedeshazor.com/ Can you buy this independent podcaster a cup of coffee through Paypal? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Thanks! Catalog of Episodes: https://www.leahroseman.com/about Newsletter sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter Follow me on social media: https://linktr.ee/leahroseman Timestamps: (00:00) Cold open quote plus Intro (02:00) album Journey With Me, accepting help (06:16) differences playing acoustic and electric instruments (07:30) intro to tune “Simply Complicated” (13:25) Leslie's childhood musical pranks, growing up in Inkster and Canton (16:10) the importance of Detroit in many different musical genres (18:36) the influence and importantce of church music (22:47) Interlochen, perspectives on exposing kids to a competitive atmosphere (32:43) Leslie's approach to coaching student ensembles (36:14) Leslie's history going to Orchestra Hall, continuity and history of Detroit (40:52) parenting, guiding children in music (42:37) University of Michigan and Wayne State college experiences, James Dapogny, how to guide students, the importance of helping music students with options (51:00) dealing with injury (53:06) different cultures through dance, learning Spanish, teaching with Sphinx (56:14) Sphinx organization (01:03:10) Musique Noire, Eunoia Society, JoVia Armstrong (01:04:45) problem with labels in music, colonial attitudes (01:10:44) teaching music using different strategies (01:16:35) challenges in guiding students (01:19:53) students who are over-scheduled, the benefits of allowing time for creativity and play (01:25:42) Cole Randolph taking time off and motivation (01:26:42) dealing with stress through exercise, jumping rope, keeping balance (01:30:00) freelance life stress (01:31:18) teaching body percussion, benefits of community music making, learning from other educators (01:35:35) Leslie's advice about bravery --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

On our third episode for Black History Month, I chat with musician, entrepreneur, poet, and spoken word artist Aaron Dworkin (University of Michigan) all about his musical upbringing, his work in arts leadership, and his experience founding the Sphinx Organization. We also chat about his 2023 spoken word album The Poetjournalist, and explore the various intersections of art, storytelling, and Black history. Stream The Poetjournalist Aaron's website Arts Engines Get in touch with me at: hermusicacademia@gmail.com

An encore episode dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Sphinx Organization.We feature musical excerpts from a live performance by critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi. We hear from musicians and educators whose lives have been changed by Sphinx and explore the pivotal role it has played in expanding diversity in the arts.

MacArthur Fellow and Sphinx Organization founder Aaron P. Dworkin discusses his new spoken word album “The Poetjournalist.” Plus, we hear about the recent organ restoration at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church and an upcoming free concert by organist Maestro Hector Olivera, and the organization formally known as “Atlanta Celebrates Photography” is now the “Atlanta Center for Photography,” and we learn what this change means from the new executive director, Lindsey O'Connor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Aaron Dworkin is a professor of entrepreneurship, a Poet Journalist, the founder of the Sphinx Organization, and many other things. We read two poems from his book The Poetjournalist. Recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Sphinx Virtuosi – Songs for Our Times (Deutsche Grammophon) New Classical Tracks - Andre Dowell, Sphinx Virtuosi by “My role with the organization as the chief of artist engagement is to really understand the talent that is out there and to be able to recruit the musicians who perform with the Sphinx Virtuosi,” Andre Dowell says. “Community engagement, in terms of how they are engaging their community, not just the youth, but also their audiences and educating them about our mission, which is transforming life through the power of diversity in the arts.”For the past 15 years, Dowell has watched the Sphinx Organization evolve as it strives for and achieves that mission. One way in which it's doing that is with a professional, self-conducted touring ensemble of 18 members made up of freelance musicians and professors at universities. That ensemble is Sphinx Virtuosi, which has just released its debut recording, Songs for Our Times.“Over the past couple of years, we've had the great opportunity to have our programs be comprised solely of musicians who are Black or Latino. Because of that, we really wanted to have an album out that represented not only the Sphinx Organization, but the Sphinx Virtuosi. One thing that you'll find with our debut album is that every composer is a composer of color.”Why is this title, Songs for Our Times, so significant?“Songs for Our Times really digs into composers that we've worked with in the past, celebrating artists and composers who have paved the way. We talk about Florence Price, for example. We talk about Jessie Montgomery, Valerie Coleman, Carlos Simon, and we have a great arrangement of Beethoven's Bridgetower by Rubén Rengel. Songs for Our Times goes into the past, the rich history of the Sphinx organization, and explores how that intertwines with the composers of today.The album opens with Global Warming, by Michael Abels, who won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Can you talk about the history of this piece and why it fits in so well with this debut recording?“This piece really inspired us to feature Michael Abels as a composer. This piece just captures so perfectly what it means to be in this world today and going through COVID-19 and the pandemic. And what you'll find on the CD is George Floyd in the aftermath of that, in terms of what it means to reflect in this world today.” Watch on YouTubeThere's an unusual time signature in the piece by Ricardo Hertz. It's called Sisyphus in the Big City. Why do we have this 25/16 time signature?“It is great. And if you listen to the music enough, you'll be able to understand and feel the rhythmic structure of it. We have the great opportunity to play this piece in Brazil with Ricardo himself. It's something that requires a lot of communication in terms of being able to play that type of time signatures while also keeping the groove.”Valerie Coleman's two-movement piece, Tracing Visions, is on this recording, and each of the movements is so powerful. Would you share the story behind them?“The first movement we talk about Emmett Till and other victims of domestic violence or terrorism, if you will. It's a remembrance of those times. And it ends with the second movement, which means power and is a celebration of where we have come in our society. And she takes this motif and really expands it to uplift the work that has been done, and that we continue to do, and the fight that we continue to have in our society.” Listen on YouTubeTo hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.ResourcesSphinx Virtuosi – Songs for Our Times (Amazon)Sphinx Virtuosi – Songs for Our Times (Deutsche Grammophon)Sphinx Virtuosi (official site)

FInd Teaganhttps://persephonephoenix.com/https://www.teaganfaran.comhttp://www.instagram.com/teagbbyAbout TeaganA native of Buffalo, NY, Teagan Faran is a multidisciplinary musician focused on enacting social change through the arts. Faran has collaborated with the International Contemporary Ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, Palaver Strings, and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. Recent recording features include albums with Carlos Simon, La Martino Orquesta Típica, and loadbang. She has had compositions featured at the NYSSMA Conference and the Persis Vehar Competition for Excellence. Also active in the world of tango music, she has performed with Victor Lavallén and the Orquesta Escuela de Emilio Balcarce, as well as at festivals across the United States. As a soloist, Faran has performed throughout the United States, Italy, Argentina, Germany, México, and Canada, including appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Uptown Philharmonic, the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra the Ann Arbor Camerata, the Williamsville East Symphonic Orchestra, and the University of Vermont Symphony. Administratively, she has held internship positions in the Marketing and Education Departments of the Buffalo Philharmonic, and Education and Concerts/Touring with Jazz at Lincoln Center. She founded Ann Arbor arts collective Red Shoe Company and worked as a teaching artist with the Kennedy Center, the University Musical Society  and the Sphinx Organization.After graduating from the University of Michigan, Faran moved to Buenos Aires on a Fulbright grant. Faran was also a Turn The Spotlight Fellow, receiving their inaugural Hedwig Holbrook Prize. Faran participated in OneBeat, a fellowship in musical diplomacy, DeeDee Bridgewater's Woodshed Network, and recently graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied Contemporary Performance. She performs in the electroacoustic duo Persephone & the Phoenix as well as being a certified personal trainer, with a focus on career longevity for performers. Faran currently teaches violin and runs the Electronic Experimentation Lab at DePauw University.Support the show

My guest today is Immanuel Abraham,  a very special musican, who is an inspiring violinist, educator and composer.  His phenomenal talent, discipline and creativity  is even more inspiring since he didn't have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument until the age of 14 and  4 years later, he was auditioning for the renowned University of Michigan in violin performance, playing the same Paganini caprice he'd heard Ithak Perlman play on Shalom Sesame as a child. He speaks candidly in this interview about his  perseverence in the face of very difficult challenges. More information and links below, including Timestamps! Like all my episodes, this is also available as a video on my YouTube, and the transcript is linked here as well: ⁠https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/immanuel-abraham⁠ Please help me keep this series going! You can leave a tip or consider becoming a monthly supporter and get access to special perks: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠ Immanuel is well-known on social media as The Violin Doctor, which is a Dr. Who reference, but Immanuel actually is Doctor of Musical Arts, awarded from the University of Arizona. When he was a student, in an effort to learn as much as he could that was violin-related,  he started The Violin Guild which is an amazingly supportive Facebook group of over 60,000 string players worldwide. Our conversation focused on different aspects of  music education, personal development, and you'll get to hear some clips of Immanuel performing some of his 24 Caprices for solo violin. Below is a link for a discount code the week this is released, and if you're a violinist I encourage you to buy this amazing volume, which I have been learning and plan to start recording this summer. Immanuel will be releasing his complete recording of all 24 Caprices. https://www.theviolindoctor.com/24 The discount code that will be activated May 12th through May 18th is, theviolindoctor for 25% off of the 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Second Edition. You will also find Immanuel's current projects and social links there as well. Timestamps (00:00)  Intro (02:25) perspectives on starting the violin at age 14, dealing with racism and growing up in the projects (15:02) hearing Itzhak Perlman and the opportunity for free lessons through the Merit School of Music with Guillaume Combet (21:32) inspiration for Immanuel's 24 Caprices for Solo violin (28:48) clip of Caprice 14 (30:00) clip of Caprice 21 in C Minor, “The Blues” (31:43) Caprice 23, a fugue (complete) (35:54) please support this series on Ko-fi! (36:23) why Immanuel bought a beginner book spent his lunch money on  Paganini (41:12) Andrew Jennings University of Michigan (47:15) giving students some choice of repertoire, keeping them motivated (53:08) Sphinx Organization teaching kids in the inner city (01:04:45) becoming a composer, opening for We The Kings (01:11:11) transcribing jazz, learning by ear (01:16:25) violin technique finger independence (01:22:08) yoga, dealing with stress (01:26:03) balance of composition, teaching and performing (01:28:21) discount code for the Caprices theviolindoctor --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

Brendan Slocumb is a renaissance man who writes his novels with a mission in mind. A violin virtuoso, music teacher, clarinetist AND oboist, he is also a best selling author who writes brilliantly about the world of music. His books could be classed as mysteries but they also bring into stark, painful relief the still largely white and privileged world of classical music. He reminds his readers that there is talent everywhere and anywhere, and he reminds us to look and listen closely to what we might ignore with his latest novel, Symphony of Secrets . We then talk to Afa Dworkin, President and Creative Director of the “Sphinx Organization.” “Sphinx” is doing amazing work, making sure that the country's orchestras reflect the diversity of our population. We will go back to bookstores next week, but we wanted to honor Brendan by talking to an organization doing work about which he is so passionate. Books mentioned in this week's podcast: Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

There is much talk these days about diversifying classical music and other arts. But one Detroit-based organization has been at it for a long time. The Sphinx Organization's reach now expands across the nation. Jeffrey Brown reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Helloooo, Scorekeepers! It's time for another episode of your favorite podcast, THE SCORE. For our second Black History Month pod, we thought we'd have a little family reunion. So for the whole episode, we are joined once again by a world-class violinist and the woman who makes this podcast go zoom, Emilia Mettenbrink! This week, we (shadily) discuss our profound disappointment over Beyoncé not winning AOTY at this year's Grammys, our recent trip to Detroit for the Sphinx Organization's annual conference (0:37:07), and of course, a little PB&J to keep your week going strong (0:59:09)! Let's do it to it, y'all!Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds (Iyawo Inawale)Guest: Emilia MettenbrinkProducer: Rocky Jones--LinksSphinx Organization (Website)Known MPLS (Website)When Broadway Was Black (Buy Now)A Darker Wilderness (Buy Now)--New episodes of THE SCORE drop every other Wednesday. If you like what you hear, please support us and SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and be sure to SHARE our show with your friends. Also, leaving a 5-star REVIEW on Apple Podcasts is a great way to help people find our show. For more info about the exciting EDI work happening at MN Opera, please visit mnopera.org/edi. Email your questions or comments to thescore@mnopera.org.

The guys chat with Andre Dowell, Chief of Artist Engagement of the Sphinx Organization. Focused on increasing representation of Black and Latinx artists in classical music and recognizing excellence, Sphinx programs serve beginner students to seasoned classical music professionals, as well as cultural entrepreneurs and administrators.

Leslie DeShazor is a multi-style violist,  violinist and composer based in Detroit. She teaches students both through the Sphinx Organization and the Detroit Symphony as well as privately. She was named one of thirty Professional Movers and Shakers in the Performing Arts by Musical America in 2019 and in 2022 she released her jazz and R&B album “Journey With Me” which features herself as soloist, bandleader, and composer. Towards the beginning of this episode you'll hear her composition “Simply Complicated” from “Journey With Me”. This conversation was full of stories and insights from Leslie's life. She shared valuable perspectives that educators, parents and anyone who mentors children and young adults will find inspiring and thought-provoking. We talked a lot about why kids quit playing music, why so many young adults today have trouble figuring out the direction of their life, and how the educational system can take away people's innate creativity and confidence. Leslie is such an articulate and engaging speaker; I'm sure listeners everywhere will enjoy this episode! The musicians on Simply Complicated are: Nate Winn -  drums, Brendon Davis  - piano Brandon Rose -  bass Photo: Bruce Turner Please support this series! https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Video and Transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/leslie-deshazor https://lesliedeshazor.com/ Timestamps: (00:00) Cold open quote plus Intro (02:00) album Journey With Me, accepting help (06:16) differences playing acoustic and electric instruments (07:30) intro to tune “Simply Complicated” (13:25) Leslie's childhood musical pranks, growing up in Inkster and Canton (16:10) the importance of Detroit in many different musical genres (18:36) the influence and importantce of church music (22:47) Interlochen, perspectives on exposing kids to a competitive atmosphere (32:43) Leslie's approach to coaching student ensembles (36:14) Leslie's history going to Orchestra Hall, continuity and history of Detroit (40:52) parenting, guiding children in music (42:37) University of Michigan and Wayne State college experiences, James Dapogny, how to guide students, the importance of helping music students with options (51:00) dealing with injury (53:06) different cultures through dance, learning Spanish, teaching with Sphinx (56:14) Sphinx organization (01:03:10) Musique Noire, Eunoia Society, JoVia Armstrong (01:04:45) problem with labels in music, colonial attitudes (01:10:44) teaching music using different strategies (01:16:35) challenges in guiding students (01:19:53) students who are over-scheduled, the benefits of allowing time for creativity and play (01:25:42) Cole Randolph taking time off and motivation (01:26:42) dealing with stress through exercise, jumping rope, keeping balance (01:30:00) freelance life stress (01:31:18) teaching body percussion, benefits of community music making, learning from other educators (01:35:35) Leslie's advice about bravery --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

This special episode is dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the Sphinx Organization. Featuring musical excerpts from a live performance by critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi, and stories told by the musicians, leaders, and educators whose lives have been changed by Sphinx. It also explores the pivotal role Sphinx has played in expanding diversity in the arts.

SHOW NOTES Join Eboni and her friend Jocelyn this week for another episode! They chat about the things that make them weird and what their ideal proposals are. Being a perfectionist is great sometimes, but it can also be hella exhausting. How do you learn to be an ambitious hard worker while also leaving time to have fun and make silly mistakes? What do Eboni and Shonda Rimes have in common? Get 5 Hot Girl Tips on How To Overcome Perfectionism. HOT GIRL HIGHLIGHT This week's Hot Girl Highlight goes to The Sphinx Organization. The Sphinx Organization is a social justice organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Their four program areas – Education & Access, Artist Development, Performing Artists, and Arts Leadership – form a pipeline that develops and supports diversity and inclusion in classical music at every level. Donate at sphinxmusic.org/donate and follow their Instagram sphinxorg Follow Eboni: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok Follow Jocelyn: @BrownEyedJo @SweetsByJocelynLA And follow the show! @TheHotGirlHourPodcast Twitter --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eboni70/support

Where are all the great Black pianists? Michelle Cann is one of the best. And she's determined to help shift the musical landscape to include many more pianists of color in the coming generations. On the season two finale of the HearTOGETHER Podcast, pianist Michelle Cann joins host Tori Marchiony for an intimate conversation about the nature of competition, expressing something transcendent in music, and the importance of mentorship for up-and-comers. MUSIC, performed by Michelle CannBACH, SarabandePRICE, Sonata in E MinorCHOPIN, Ballade No.3 in A-flat Major, Op.47PRICE, Piano Concerto in One Movement with The Philadelphia OrchestraMixed by Teng ChenEditorial Council, Noel Dior & Tim German

"Education is an opportunity for self-reflection, a beautiful time to look inwards and ask 'Who am I? Why am I here? Do I really want to be here?' Those answers for me have been, 'yes, I really want to do this. I want to effect change in this world in a positive way.'"Dr. Raul Dominguez was recently accepted as a Fellow for the Cleveland Institute of Music's inaugural Future of Music Faculty Fellowship, sponsored by the Sphinx Organization. He is also the founder of the Choral Conductors Colloquium which provides its 900+ subscribers with opportunities to learn from choral music's finest conductors; subscribers are made up of choral musicians representing every continent (except Antarctica) and 54 different countries. Next fall, Raul will continue his role as the Associate Artistic Director of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and serve as the Director of Choral Activities at Regis University in Denver, CO. His primary research focus is the choral music of the United Mexican States.   He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), where he studied with Dr. Gregory Gentry, and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Ithaca College, where he studied with Dr. Janet Galván. Prior to Ithaca, he was the Choir Director at Clear Lake HS in his hometown of Houston, TX, for four years. He earned Bachelor of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Oklahoma City University, where he studied with Dr. Randi Von Ellefson and Judith Willoughby.To get in touch with Raul, you can find him on Instagram (@raulconducts) or visit raulconducts.com.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson from Pexels

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

About the guestSandra L. Gibson's arts and culture training, teaching and practice over three decades have given her a unique understanding of partnership, creativity and collaboration. Gibson's professional experience began with her role as program representative for UCLA Extension's Department of the Arts, where she developed and managed 180-200 nationally recognized programs annually. Gibson later became Director, West Coast Operations at American Film Institute, where she also served Director, NEA's Independent Filmmaker Program and Director, Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies. Gibson's work as the executive director of the Long Beach Regional Arts Council in California developed her gifts for working with diverse cultural communities, individual artists and patrons of arts and culture. Gibson directed the city's first Cultural Masterplan and launched the first Smithsonian Institution Program Affiliation in the US with the City of Long Beach. In 1995 Gibson served on the steering committee that formed Americans for the Arts and as a founding board member, and was recruited for the position of executive vice president and COO at the organization in 1998. In 2000, she was appointed the fourth president and CEO of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, the leading service and advocacy organization for the presenting industry worldwide. Gibson realized the need for a more comprehensive assessment of the performing arts in the context of a rapidly changing world and partnered with the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to sponsor the first nationwide survey of the performing arts presenting field. Gibson engaged the association in new technologies and expanded its reach globally and across industry sectors, including partnerships with the leadership of Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes in Mexico; the French Embassy Cultural Services Division; the Netherlands Consulate and the Cultural Ministry of Colombia, among others. Gibson served as a Commissioner on the Culture Committee of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO from 2005-2009 and testified with cellist Yo-Yo Ma about the challenges with nonimmigrant visa processing before the House of Representatives Government Reform Committee in 2005. Gibson served on NEA's Music Creativity panel in July 2002, the Regional Partnership Agreements panel in February 2006, the State Partnerships Agreements panel in January 2009, and State Partnerships Stimulus funding panel in March 2009. In 2004 Gibson launched the Creative Campus Initiative with a landmark meeting of the American Assembly at Columbia University, and in 2007 established the Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program to support exemplary cross-campus, interdisciplinary projects that integrate the arts into the academy. Gibson also led the development of an eco-leadership forum that advances the goals and action agenda of Culture|Futures, an international collaboration of organizations and individuals in the nonprofit, for-profit, philanthropic, economic development, political and policy arenas who are shaping and delivering proactive support for the transition towards an Ecological Age by 2050.Gibson became an independent consultant in July 2011 and in 2012 formed Sandra L. Gibson and Associates, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to advancing the arts, culture and education globally. Gibson serves as Executive Director of the Maryland Film Festival/Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland, as a Consulting Advisor to the DeVos Institute for Arts Leadership founded by Michael Kaiser at the University of Maryland, and as a Consulting Advisor to The Canales Project founded by opera singer Carla Dirlikov. From 2012-2018 Gibson served as the first executive director of the National China Garden Foundation in Washington, DC, overseeing the development, fundraising and construction design for a priority U.S.-China government initiative to establish the National China Garden, a 12-acre classical Chinese garden center in the historic U.S. National Arboretum. She has served as a consultant to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture, Northwoods Nijii Enterprise Corporation, Theatre Forward, and as an advisor to the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, as a consultant to the Smithsonian Office of the Assistant Secretary for Education and Access, and the National Museum of American History, as well as a Senior Artistic Advisor to the China International Performing Arts Fair, Guangzhou, China. Currently Gibson serves as President and Chair, Friends of the British Council, Board Member and Chair of the Artistic Committee of the Sphinx Organization, and as Vice Chair of the National Advisory board for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. An ethnomusicologist and musician with a Master's Degree in Music from Northwestern University, Gibson believes the arts are critical to personal, community and national well being, essential to an advanced democracy and vital to global cultural exchanges. She has worked tirelessly to raise dynamic conversations about the intrinsic value and impact of art and art making, their contributions to a high-quality education, to economic livelihood and to a historic legacy woven intricately into the very fabric of life.The Truth In This ArtThe Truth In This Art is a podcast interview series supporting vibrancy and development of Baltimore & beyond's arts and culture.Mentioned in this episodeSNF ParkwayPhotography by Mike MorganTo find more amazing stories from the artist and entrepreneurial scenes in & around Baltimore, check out my episode directory.Stay in TouchNewsletter sign-upSupport my podcastShareable link to episode★ Support this podcast ★

Welcome to our favorite month, BLACK HISTORY baby! The girls will dive into some highlights from the past year all centered around the Culture and Black excellence. Charities: Brown Girl's Do Ballet: https://www.browngirlsdoballet.com/donate1 Sphinx Organization: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/SphinxMusic My Brother's Keeper Alliance: https://www.obama.org/donate/ Good Kids Mad City: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gkmc-1

Based in New York, the Harlem Quartet was founded in 2006 by The Sphinx Organization, a national non-profit devoted to building diversity in classical music and providing educational access for underserved communities. The quartet will perform in a local concert presented by Chamber Music Raleigh and WDAV . Harlem Quartet violinist Ilmar Gavilán talks about their mission to advance diversity in classical music by exploring new repertoire and reaching new audiences. Learn more about the Charlotte Masters: Harlem Quartet Concert Pictured: Ilmar Gavilán; credit Amy Schroeder

Jade Simmons is the fabulous guest we have today on this episode of dHarmic Evolution, this is going to be so inspiring! She is a creator of transformational experiences designed to activate audiences into becoming the biggest, boldest version of themselves possible. Ladies and gentleman, you better strap up your seatbelts because we're taking a ride today with Jade Simmons!   Jade Simmons is a world-class concert artist who has been called a “musical force of nature” (Yamaha Music) with an “uncanny ability to connect with the sounds of today” (Seattle Times). Jade is the CEO of Jade Media Global, a revolutionary live experience and global content distribution company specializing in 360º personal development and strategic transformation.   During her early career after graduating from Northwestern and Rice Universities, she performed in recital and with orchestra as a classical pianist in renowned halls, including the hallowed ones of the White House and the US Supreme Court. Following an artistic epiphany, she pivoted from playing the piano to impress audiences, to using music as the vehicle by which to provide the inspiration, entertainment, and transformation that profoundly moves them instead.   Nicknamed “Classical Music's #1 Maverick,” her electrifying, genre-bending concert adventures span Rachmaninoff all the way to rap and include virtuoso storytelling, uncommon insights, and boundless inspiration. Today, Jade's experiences not only delight concert audiences, but her dazzling, high-impact presentations are fast becoming the go-to fuel for organizations looking to reconnect their people to greater purpose, inspire seismic shifts in mindset, and activate their teams and leaders to instantly start living more consequential lives of impact.   Recently named one of the Best Keynote Speakers of 2019 and 2020, Jade's impact spans a multitude of industries and transcends audience demographics. The world's superlative brands and organizations from financial services, biotech, entertainment, education, energy and beyond are bringing Jade in. The born storyteller is also a stellar mindset strategist fluent in the language of high achievers .   In her inimitable career as a concert pianist, Jade has remained committed to expanding the boundaries of Classical music and its presentation, and as a result she has revolutionized the concert platform. Today, her notably diverse audiences have come to expect creative projects backed by riveting performances.   Ms. Simmons has toured the US extensively in recital and with orchestra, highlighted by performances at venues as wide-ranging as Ravinia, the Chicago Sinfonietta in Symphony Hall, New York's Town Hall, Detroit Institute of Arts, and the White House. She has been named one of the Best of South By Southwest and has also received the Sphinx Organization's Medal of Excellence in a concert held at the US Supreme Court and hosted by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.   Often the first, the founder, or at the forefront, Jade was the first New Music/New Places fellow for the prestigious Concert Artist Guild, and she was the original face of the legendary Van Cliburn International Piano competition's webcast. She's also the beloved voice of Decomposed, the critically-acclaimed American Public Media podcast that turned classic music storytelling on its head. The show has been heralded in Time, Esquire, Indie Wire, and BBC America .   Simmons continues to make an unexpected impact on and away from the stage. As an ordained minister and author, she challenges us to pray bigger with the best-selling Audacious Prayers for World Changers. An equal-opportunity disrupter, in 2020, the Maverick made her boldest leap yet as founder of Operation Restoration, which powered her run as an Independent candidate for President of the United States. Her platforms prioritize people and unifying policies over politics as usual.   Let's give Jade Simmons a warm dHarmic evolution welcome, as we learn more about her audacious journey from being pianist to her run for the Presidency. Her life stories, her music, her words of wisdom will truly move you, and you definitely should share this with your friends and family as well. Let this be an inspiration of what greater things everyone can achieve!   More about Jade Simmons Check out more of her inspiring stories and experience Jade Simmons! Check out all the links below for her social media pages and website to get to know more about her and what she does. Quotes: 03:59 “It's not an easy path to pick. But that's the wonder of childhood – is you don't know any better. And my parents, I'm still blessed to have them both, and the way that they've raised me and my sister has been that we really do believe we can do anything that we put our mind to.” 13:21 “I started very early, being able to combine my love of other things outside of music, with music and with speaking and that sort of started helping me really differentiate from other concert artists.”   34:58 “As a musician, you hope for the standing O. So, to me, I didn't know it was a big deal to get the standing O, until it started showing up in the first speaker we've ever had that had a standing ovation. So then I started, “Why are people really standing up?” And my goal has become, “I don't want you to stand up just because you thought what I just did was awesome.” That's one level of standing ovation. The deepest level of standing O for me is when people stand up because they feel awesome. Something in them has activated, has switched on.”   38:46 “You're never not a minister. You're just never not and, I am literally an ordained minister, my Christian faith is extremely important to me, it is 90% of who I am, as a person and forms everything, it's my compass.”   55:50 “Your purpose is not the thing you do, your purpose is what happens in others when you do what you do.” And then I realized the piano was only one vehicle in which I got to ride out my purpose. What purpose was – was what was happening in that audience, the fact that they were seeing the creative side of themselves are feeling activated to go after something – that was purpose. And I realized, “Oh, my purpose personally, Jade's purpose, is to activate people into becoming a bigger, bolder version themselves, the one that I believe God created them to be. “   Timestamps:   01:12 Introducing Jade Simmons 03:15 How did being a concert pianist come into Jade's world? 04:53 Jade tells about how blessed she is with her parents. 08:20 When was the first time Jade told herself that she's going to be on stages? 11:51 Jade shares how it all worked out for her on choosing her market and where she fits in. 13:32 The genesis of Jade's discovery of how she can combine music and the other things she loves. 18:19Listen to “The Flight” by Jade Simmons 23:07 How Jade created “The Flight” with different remixes. 24:51 How does Jade Simmons balance practice with all the other things she does? 25:52 The story behind how Jade started and went about doing  motivational speaking? 31:42 Does Jade Simmons get to choose her own piano? What's her instrument of choice? 32:53 How did Jade pitch her first engagements and how is she doing it now that she has a team? 38:30 Jade shares about how she plugs in the ministry in the realm of everything she is doing. 43:05 All about Jade Simmons best-selling book, “Audacious Prayers for World Changers.” 47:55 Jade's records and how was her experience running for the Presidency in 2020. 54:28 A wisdom to share for the up and coming musicians, singer, songwriters from Jade Simmons 1:00:25 Listen to “Ride On” by James Kevin O'Connor   Spotify Playlist:   Don't forget to check out our dHarmic Rising Stars Spotify playlists. See if your music is on there! We are already on our 4th playlist, and we've got over 100 artists who will amaze you with their great talents. Simply click on these links and share it with your friends, family or other artists as well! Let's altogether support these great alumni of the dHarmic Evolution Podcast.   dHarmic Rising Stars: Aquila https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4loDaYF0OuWRjZeMXvEjK4   dHarmic Rising Stars: Orion https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5CnL9tl0xbU4oDh6jtJBZx   dHarmic Rising Stars: Lyra https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ov0OqNMJmPhHrxZjsXthS   dHarmic Rising Stars: Scorpius https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5oQ4Sc4LAJSexsDgDcixt8   dHarmic Evolution links:   Overcast, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, and Apple podcasts – these are the four highlighted platforms on the website, have you signed up to your favorite platform yet? If not, you can choose from 23 podcast platforms! Just check out dharmicevolution.com and see the options that we have which are available worldwide.  This will make it easy for you to get the show every Friday morning at 4:44am. Let us know what you think as well by leaving a comment!   Do you know someone who is suffering from anxiety and depression? Please send them to https://tinyurl.com/25a994tw      Keep up-to-date with what's going on with dHarmic evolution, check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dharmicevolution Also, if you are an artist, an author, or a keynote speaker, who is trying to find a safe place to post your content, you can check out the Facebook community and let the world support you! Check out this link: dHarmic Evolution Community.  Special Links and Mentions: John Lennon Alexander Scriabin Wassily Kandinsky Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Franz Liszt Michael Jackson Clara Schumann Donald Trump Joe Biden   Connect with Jade Simmons Website: https://jadesimmons.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JadeMedia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjadesimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/newmuseic Twitter: https://twitter.com/jadesimmons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-simmons-pianistceo/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3frzsw7zkolhBmESDRkgDH SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/stalkingsuperwoman ReverbNation: https://www.reverbnation.com/jadesimmons Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jade-simmons/308015554      

Margaret Lioi, past Chief Executive Officer of Chamber Music America, joins us to discuss the process of developing and realizing her vision for the small ensemble community and supporting this vision through strategic grantmaking and fundraising initiatives. She chats with us about the intersections between jazz and chamber music and how small ensemble genres and styles share more than they seem. We talk about how a person finds themselves deeply involved in arts administration, and about Lioi's vision for the small ensemble community over the next twenty years. Margaret M. Lioi has been Chamber Music America's Chief Executive Officer since 2000, serving as the longest-tenured executive in CMA's 43-year history. During this time, CMA incorporated jazz into its small ensemble portfolio, increased its grant-making to more than $1.4 million annually, established May as National Chamber Music Month, and ratified the organization's Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, solidifying its dedication to equitable practices in every area of its operations. After receiving a Masters in Piano Performance from New England Conservatory, Lioi was a collaborative pianist and vocal coach, working with regional opera companies and individual singers and instrumentalists. After 10 years as a performer, she returned to school to pursue an MBA with a concentration in arts management at Binghamton University/SUNY. She interned at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC, was subsequently hired as the Development Associate, and became the Director of Development six months later. Following Spoleto, Lioi was the Executive Director of The Eleanor Naylor Dana Charitable Trust, and the Senior Director of External Affairs at The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival prior to CMA. She serves on the Advisory Board of The Sphinx Organization, is a member of the Board of The Performing Arts Alliance, and is an adjunct faculty member in the MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship Program at The New School. The transcript for this episode can be found here. For more information about Chamber Music America, please visit their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In this episode I interview Rockstar Concert Pianist, Activational Speaker, & CEO of Jade Media Global. Jade Simmons is a creator of transformational experiences designed to activate audiences into becoming the biggest, boldest version of themselves possible. The world-class concert artist has been called a “musical force of nature” with an “uncanny ability to connect with the sounds of today.” Jade is the CEO of Jade Media Global, a revolutionary live experience and global content distribution company specializing in 360º personal development and strategic transformation. Following an artistic epiphany, she pivoted from playing the piano to impress audiences, to using music as the vehicle by which to provide the inspiration, entertainment, and transformation that profoundly moves them instead. Nicknamed “Classical Music's #1 Maverick,” her electrifying, genre-bending concert adventures span Rachmaninoff all the way to rap and include virtuoso storytelling, uncommon insights, and boundless inspiration. Today, Jade's experiences not only delight concert audiences, but her dazzling, high impact presentations are fast becoming the go-to fuel for the world's superlative brands and organizations from financial services, biotech, entertainment, education, energy and beyond. In her inimitable career as a concert pianist, Jade has remained committed to expanding the boundaries of Classical music. Simmons has toured the US extensively in recital and with orchestra highlighted by performances at venues as wide-ranging as Ravinia, the Chicago Sinfonietta in Symphony Hall, New York's Town Hall, Detroit Institute of Arts, and the halls of the White House. She has been named one of the Best of South By Southwest and has also received the Sphinx Organization's Medal of Excellence in a concert held at the US Supreme Court. Simmons is also the author of the best- selling Audacious Prayers for World Changers. As an equal opportunity disrupter, in 2020, the Maverick made her boldest leap yet as founder of Operation Restoration, which powered her run as an Independent candidate for President of the United States. Her platforms prioritize people and unifying policies over politics as usual. Learn more about her audacious journey from pianist to the Presidency at www.jadesimmons.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is Dr. Ana Abrantes, Director of Education at the Sphinx Organization, one of our nation's leading organizations that is working to develop and support diversity and inclusion in Classical music. She holds a Doctorate in Cello Performance from the University of Georgia, and held several regional orchestra positions in that state, including Principal Cello of the Athens Symphony Orchestra. Before joining the Sphinx Organization, she held several positions with the Heifetz Institute, and is a certified instructor in the Suzuki Method. A native of Campos do Jordão, Brazil, Dr. Ana Abrantes serves as Director of Education for the Sphinx Organization overseeing the Overture Program, which serves elementary school students throughout Detroit and Flint, and the Sphinx Performance Academy, in partnership with the Curtis and Cleveland Institutes of Music and the Juilliard School. Orchestrating Change is available wherever you get your podcasts. Go to www.cantonsymphony.org/orchestrating-change/ to sign-up for email reminders, view past episodes, and see the various channels where you can view our content. For more information about everything else we are offering at this time, please visit www.cantonsymphony.org. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hYvegTX8kFI

This episode is a rebroadcast of my conversation with President and Artistic Director of the Sphinx Organization, Afa Dworkin. Afa Dworkin is the President and Artistic Director of the Sphinx Organization, where she oversees all fundraising, strategic, and artistic initiatives. Founded in 1997, the Sphinx Organization has four program areas - Education and Access, Artist Development, Performing Artists, and Arts Leadership - which form a pipeline that develops and supports diversity and inclusion in classical music at every level of our field: music education, performing artists, repertoire programmed, the communities represented in audiences, and artistic and administrative leadership. Sphinx Organization reaches more than 100,000 students and artists as well as live and broadcast audiences of more than two million annually. Ms. Dworkin’s leadership of the organization is informed by her musical training, over twenty-five years of experience in the field, as well as her international corporate experience as a trilingual interpreter and Executive Assistant to the President of ARCO, The International Oil and Gas Company in Baku in Azerbaijian. Ms. Dworkin and I discuss the question: Why is a lack of diversity harmful to classical music? We discuss why classical music is not a meritocracy, steps organizations can take to address diversity in a meaningful way, why this issue poses an existential threat to our field, and doing and saying the difficult things when no one is looking.You can find out more about Ms. Dworkin and the Sphinx Organization at their website www.sphinxmusic.org. 

JUMP Music Podcast Season 2 – EP9 with Natalie Frakes @nataliefrakes Violinist Natalie Frakes is an experienced performer and educator and believes deeply in using music as a vehicle for social change. Natalie graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Wayne State University in Detroit. In addition to performing, she continues to be an active advocate for musical education in underserved areas. Natalie is a versatile violinist who enjoys playing an eclectic mix of genres and styles. She has performed with Detroit's most talented musicians and current artists (Josh Groban, 2Cellos, Michael Bublé, Kygo, Evanescence, Lindsey Stirling, Disturbed, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Sarah McLachlan, Michael Bolton, Aretha Franklin Orchestra, Jonsi and Alex) at major venues including DTE Energy Theater, The Palace, Little Caesar's Arena, the Masonic Temple, the Fox Theater, Van Andel Arena, and more. Natalie is violinist and artistic curator for Midtown Strings and Six Mile Strings. A passionate educator, Natalie has served as a teaching artist and conductor in a number of programs. She was Director of Orchestras for Oxford Community Schools and other experiences include positions with numerous community arts programs including Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Youth Ensembles and MSU Community Music School-Detroit. She has been a teaching artist with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's El-Sistema-inspired OrchKids, Costa Rica's Sistema de Nacional Educácion Musical, and Accent Pontiac. Natalie currently works with the Detroit Metropolitan Youth Symphony, the Sphinx Organization, and the Collective Conservatory. #jumpmusic #musiceducation #musicpodcast #musicindustry #musicindustrytips #musicindustrynews #musicindustryprofessional #musicinterview #musicianlife #musicianstoday #brilliantmusicians #musicaddict #musicartist #musicbusiness #musicmaker

Aaron Dworkin is a leading arts administrator, MacArthur fellow, and Obama's first appointment to the National Council on the Arts. He is most well-known for founding the Sphinx Organization, which was one of the first of its kind to bring classical musicians of color to the national forefront. Aaron shares his unique story and path to becoming a fearless leader and innovator in the classical music field, while also painting a picture of what life as an arts administrator looks like. He is an incredible inspiration to me, and drives his life with creativity and decisive purpose. To learn more about Aaron, go to his website aarondworkin.com, where you can find information about his book, his two shows, and many other creative endeavors.

This year’s Sphinx Organization concerto competition took place in the virtual space. You can still see the exciting performances by this year’s artists at DPTV.org. Sphinx Organization President Afa Dworkin speaks with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf about this year’s event…

This month we chatted with the incredible Joseph Conyers. This episode left us so inspired and empowered, and we hope listening will do that same for you. We talked about everything from the fantastic non-profit Project 440, the limitless possibilities and impact that music can have on us and our communities, bodybuilding, veganism, and how to discover and use our individual gifts for good. Bio: Joseph H. Conyers was appointed assistant principal bassist of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2010. Joseph has performed with numerous orchestras as soloist across the USA and is an artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Awards include the Sphinx Organization's Medal of Excellence (2019) – the organization's most prestigious recognition; the C. Hartman Kuhn award (2018) - the highest honor bestowed upon a musician of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and Musical America's 30 Top Professionals – Innovators, Independent Thinkers, and Entrepreneurs (2018). In 2015, Joseph was the inaugural recipient of the 2015 Young Alumni Award from his alma mater, the Curtis Institute of Music. Joseph is the executive director of Project 440 (project440.org) – an organization that helps young people use their interest in music to forge new pathways for themselves and ignite change in their communities. Additionally, he is the music director of Philadelphia's All City Orchestra which showcases the top high school musicians of the School District of Philadelphia. He was named the Artistic Advisor & Artist-in-Residence for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in 2020. Joseph serves on the double bass faculty of both The Juilliard School and Temple University's Boyer College of Music. Show Notes: Organizations: Project 440 Generation Music  People: Joseph Conyers Joshua Bell Books: Nonprofit Kit For Dummies The complete poems of Emily Dickinson  Good to great- Jim Collins

Have you ever played a scale that wasn't major or minor? Did you know there are women composers writing fresh music for the violin? Suhashini Arulanandam introduces us to two wonderful pieces for solo violin, written just a few years ago by Reena Esmail and Jessie Montgomery. Contact Suhashini here: www.harmonyviolinstudio.caListen to Suhashini's violin/ cello duo here: www.tadioliduo.comLearn about Reena Esmail: www.reenaesmail.comLearn about Jessie Montgomery: www.jessiemontgomery.comLearn about the Sphinx Organization: www.sphinxmusic.orgHead to https://upperbeachesmusic.com/podcast to ask your music questions and Rebecca and Zara just might answer them on an upcoming episode!

Rooted in social justice and transformation through the performance arts and classical music, the Sphinx Organization gives space to Black and Latinx classical musicians around the world from their Detroit headquarters.

After deciding that she needed a change in her life, Maria Ellis quit her job and returned to school to earn a degree in Music Education. Today, she's leads choirs and hosts a genre-bending radio show called "Bach and Beyoncé". She talks with Garrett about this, what she believes makes a piece of music "classical", and her hopes for the radio industry. Scott reacts to a newly released recording of early 20th century Afro-American musicians, and Garrett addresses issues with the Sphinx Organization and the group, International Double Reed Discussions. Playlist: John Philip Sousa - "Stars and Stripes Forever" Scott Lindroth - "Spin Cycle" Kronos Quartet/Meklit - "The President Sang Amazing Grace" Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Horn Concerto No. 1 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Sull'aria (from "The Marriage of Figaro") Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Singt dem großen Bassa Lieder (from "The Abduction from the Seraglio" Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Bassoon Concerto in B-flat Traditional - "Cradle Song" Traditional - "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" Keyshia Cole - "Love" The Wiz - "Brand New Day" Beyoncé - Countdown Beyoncé - Flaws and All Clifton Joey Guidry III - Voices of the Ancestors (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxGOq0IklTE&feature=emb_title) More: Downbeat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqrBK9wmHl8 Maria Ellis: https://girlconductor.com/about-me LISTEN to Bach and Beyoncé: https://classic1073.org/bach-beyonce/ Amanda Gorman: https://www.theamandagorman.com History of Amazing Grace: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/how-sweet-the-sound-amazing-grace-writer-overcame-a-racist-past Michelle Obama at the Inauguration: https://people.com/style/michelle-obama-wears-monochrome-outfit-by-black-designer-sergio-hudson-biden-inauguration/ Mozart on the Yard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hfe_1Fny-Q Sphinx Competition Finalists 2021: https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20211/28614/ Statement from Clifton Joey Guidry III: https://www.facebook.com/colorsofclassicalmusic/posts/375569870461885

Aaron Dworkin is a man of many talents: he's a violinist, social entrepreneur, professor, author, MacArthur Fellow and member of the National Council on the Arts. In this time of a long overdue racial reckoning, many organizations are answering the challenge to interrogate how their own systems address diversity and inclusion. Aaron Dworkin is singularly positioned to speak to this moment: he has been shining a light and doing the work around inequity for decades.   A violinist from early childhood, Dworkin was an undergraduate when he grappled with the implications of the dearth of African-American and Latinx musicians in orchestras as well as  the lack of music by people of color in the repertoire of those same orchestras. Aaron Dworkin got to work and in 1997 founded the Sphinx Organization-- its goal was to address the underrepresentation of people of color in classical music on every level: on the stage, in the repertory, behind the stage, in the front office, and in the audience.  Beginning as a competition for African-American and Latinx string instrumentalists, Sphinx has grown into a force in classical music with its own symphony orchestra, and robust programming that reaches over 100,000 students and artists annually.  In this podcast, Aaron talks about diversity and classical music—what can be addressed immediately and what requires a complex and far-reaching overhaul. We also talk about his own very interesting biography and how it informed his love of music, the centrality of entrepreneurship to the arts today (he wrote a book called The Entrepreneurial Artist), and his public television show Arts Engines in which he talks to arts' administrators from around the country.  It's a great conversation with someone whose passion and conviction are matched by his humor.  

Aaron Dworkin is a man of many talents: he’s a violinist, social entrepreneur, professor, author, MacArthur Fellow and member of the National Council on the Arts. In this time of a long overdue racial reckoning, many organizations are answering the challenge to interrogate how their own systems address diversity and inclusion. Aaron Dworkin is singularly positioned to speak to this moment: he has been shining a light and doing the work around inequity for decades.   A violinist from early childhood, Dworkin was an undergraduate when he grappled with the implications of the dearth of African-American and Latinx musicians in orchestras as well as  the lack of music by people of color in the repertoire of those same orchestras. Aaron Dworkin got to work and in 1997 founded the Sphinx Organization-- its goal was to address the underrepresentation of people of color in classical music on every level: on the stage, in the repertory, behind the stage, in the front office, and in the audience.  Beginning as a competition for African-American and Latinx string instrumentalists, Sphinx has grown into a force in classical music with its own symphony orchestra, and robust programming that reaches over 100,000 students and artists annually.  In this podcast, Aaron talks about diversity and classical music—what can be addressed immediately and what requires a complex and far-reaching overhaul. We also talk about his own very interesting biography and how it informed his love of music, the centrality of entrepreneurship to the arts today (he wrote a book called The Entrepreneurial Artist), and his public television show Arts Engines in which he talks to arts’ administrators from around the country.  It’s a great conversation with someone whose passion and conviction are matched by his humor.  

Aaron Dworkin is a man of many talents: he’s a violinist, social entrepreneur, professor, author, MacArthur Fellow and member of the National Council on the Arts. In this time of a long overdue racial reckoning, many organizations are answering the challenge to interrogate how their own systems address diversity and inclusion. Aaron Dworkin is singularly positioned to speak to this moment: he has been shining a light and doing the work around inequity for decades.   A violinist from early childhood, Dworkin was an undergraduate when he grappled with the implications of the dearth of African-American and Latinx musicians in orchestras as well as  the lack of music by people of color in the repertoire of those same orchestras. Aaron Dworkin got to work and in 1997 founded the Sphinx Organization-- its goal was to address the underrepresentation of people of color in classical music on every level: on the stage, in the repertory, behind the stage, in the front office, and in the audience.  Beginning as a competition for African-American and Latinx string instrumentalists, Sphinx has grown into a force in classical music with its own symphony orchestra, and robust programming that reaches over 100,000 students and artists annually.  In this podcast, Aaron talks about diversity and classical music—what can be addressed immediately and what requires a complex and far-reaching overhaul. We also talk about his own very interesting biography and how it informed his love of music, the centrality of entrepreneurship to the arts today (he wrote a book called The Entrepreneurial Artist), and his public television show Arts Engines in which he talks to arts’ administrators from around the country.  It’s a great conversation with someone whose passion and conviction are matched by his humor.  

The screened audition process was adopted by orchestras in the 70's and 80's to try to reduce bias in the hiring process- but is it still working? This episode we look at the role of an orchestral musician in the 21st century and discusses how to change the paradigm to achieve diversity and inclusion through music. This is Part Three of our “Behind the Screen” series that takes a deep dive into the past, present and future of orchestral auditions.Featuring the voices of ESO Music Director Emeritus Bill Eddins and Afa Dworkin, President and Artistic Director of The Sphinx Organization.Show Notes:Links Mentioned:Bill Eddins - Bio, WebsiteMetroNOME brewery - Facebook, WebsiteAfa Dworkin - BioThe Sphinx Organization - Composer Resource DirectoryThe Sphinx Organization - Catalog of Latin American Cello WorksPhilip Herbert - Website, Sphinx Virtuosi recordingAllan Gilliand - Website, ESO recordingThe New York Times - To Make Orchestras More Diverse, End Blind AuditionsThe New York Times - Musicians on How to Bring Racial Equity to AuditionsFollow the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra!FacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeSubscribe to our newsletter

We hope you enjoy our last episode of the year! We talk about the incredible Sphinx Organization and how it's serving Black and Latinx music communities. In the second half we recount some crazy holiday concert and gig experiences we've had. We hope you have a safe end to 2020 and remember to wear your masks! Look out for our podcast in 2021! Instagram: @outoftunepod

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Jessie Montgomery is an acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator. She is the recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and her works are performed frequently around the world by leading musicians and ensembles. Her music interweaves classical music with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, poetry, and social consciousness, making her an acute interpreter of 21st- century American sound and experience. Her profoundly felt works have been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful, and exploding with life.” Jessie was born and raised in Manhattan's Lower East Side in the 1980s during a time when the neighborhood was at a major turning point in its history. Artists gravitated to the hotbed of artistic experimentation and community development. Her parents - her father a musician, her mother a theater artist and storyteller - were engaged in the activities of the neighborhood and regularly brought Jessie to rallies, performances, and parties where neighbors, activists, and artists gathered to celebrate and support the movements of the time. It is from this unique experience that Jessie has created a life that merges composing, performance, education, and advocacy. Since 1999, Jessie has been affiliated with The Sphinx Organization, which supports young African - American and Latinx musicians. She currently serves as composer-in-residence of the Sphinx Virtuosi, their Organization’s flagship professional touring ensemble. She was a two-time laureate of the Annual Sphinx Competition and was awarded their highest honor, the Sphinx Medal of Excellence. She has received additional grants and awards from the ASCAP Foundation, Chamber Music America, AMerican Composers Orchestra, the Joyce Foundation, and the Sorel Organization. The New York Philharmonic has selected Jessie as a featured composer for their Project 19, which marks the centennial of the ratification of the 19th amendment, granting equal voting rights in the United States to women. Other forthcoming works include a nonet inspired by the Great Migration, told from the perspective of Montgomery’s great-grandfather William McCauley and to be performed by Imani Winds and the Catalyst Quartet; a cello concerto for Thomas Mesa jointly commissioned by Carnegie Hall, New World Symphony, and The Sphinx Organization; and a new orchestral work for the National Symphony. The question of the week is, "What will the next period of classical music look like?" Ms. Montgomery and I discuss what she believes will define the next period of classical music, how to avoid making the same mistakes as our predecessors when writing the narrative of classical music, the widening skillsets of classical musicians, and why it is important for musicians to know how to improvise. You can find out more about Jessie Montgomery and her amazing music on her website, jessiemontgomery.com.

Afa Dworkin is passionate about promoting diversity in classical music and does so as President and Artistic Director of The Sphinx Organization. It supports a national roster of distinguished musicians of color and reaches more than 2 million people worldwide. Its network has grown to more than 60 symphony orchestras. An accomplished violinist, Afa is a recipient of Kennedy Center's Human Spirit Award and was named one of Musical America's Top 30 Influencers. We're excited for you to meet and get to know this talented, committed musical mover and shaker!

Growing up in Cleveland, diversity in music, American orchestras, music publishers, accessibility, orchestral programming, the Sphinx Organization, and so many more topics are part of this fun and fascinating interview with Jennifer Arnold. To become a Down the Pit supporter, please visit www.Anchor.FM/Down-the-Pit https://vlajma.wixsite.com/jenniferarnoldviola https://www.richmondsymphony.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/down-the-pit/support

Calida Jones began studying the piano at the age of 3 while attending Nursery School, and switched to violin at the age of 6 when she entered Thomas G. Pullen Performing Arts School in Landover, Maryland. Currently, Calida is the Assistant Director of Education & Engagement at University of Hartford’s The Hartt School. She also serves as Program Director for Music Matters, and the Conductor of the Hartford All-City Youth Orchestra in conjunction with the Charter Oak Culture Center. Prior to those roles, Calida was appointed Director of Development and Advocacy for the El Sistema inspired program PROJECT MUSIC from 2018-2019. In 2012, Calida was hired by the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra to design and implement the El Sistema inspired program “Bravo Waterbury!” (Bravo). She continued her work in Waterbury until August of 2018. She continues to consult with organizations all over the country. An accomplished musician, social justice advocate and educator, Calida’s work has taken her all over the world teaching and performing. Calida is passionate about intentional purposeful teaching and community engagement. Her personal mission is to ensure that children who have limited resources also have access to musical opportunities and activities. She knows that this type of musicalexposure and education will benefit them and build their confidence which will catapult them to successful careers, regardless of the career path. She is committed to correlating the art of teaching to life skills, and community building. Calida has had the privilege of speaking multiple times at the prestigious Yale School of Music, Duke University, Ravinia, The Connecticut State Capitol, The Hartt School of Music, and was a Tedx speaker in San Jose, CA. Most recently, Calida has consulted with Sphinx Organization, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Utah Cultural Alliance, and a host of other organizations. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Bachelors of Fine Arts in Violin Performance), she received her Masters in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from The Hartt School ofMusic. Calida is honored and humbled to have received awards, and honors during her career including a scholar fellowship at the Aspen Festival of Ideas, The Elizabeth Mahaffey Fellowship, a Grammy nomination for the Music Educator Excellence Award, the Father Thomas H. Dwyer Humanitarian Award for her work in Waterbury, Connecticut, and the 2018 CT Arts Hero Award in Waterbury CT. Calida serves on the Board of The Hartt School of Music, El Sistema USA (Board Clerk), and chairsthe Racial Diversity and Cultural Understanding Committee; she also serves as the President of the Connecticut Arts Alliance.https://cnjassociates.comInstagram: @cnjassociates LinkedIn: Calida Jones

I'm excited to have my colleague Dr. Patricia Weitzel on to discuss the topic of finding the right fit studio teacher in college.Patricia is the Lecturer of Double Bass at Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. She has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer, teacher, and clinician worldwide.Recent engagements include teaching at the Sphinx Performance Academy at The Juilliard School, participation in the Chineke! Orchestra European tour and performed at the 62nd Grammy Awards Ceremony with Lizzo.As a member of the 2019 Global Leaders Program Cohort and one of the Sphinx Organization's Mpower Artist Grant recipients, she was involved in developing initiatives that offer opportunities for music education to underserved youth. We Cover:How acclimating to a new culture and language helped Patricia to embrace the process.How Patricia's undergrad teacher helped her find her path to the U.S. and, subsequently, her Master's and Doctoral Degree.What qualities to look for in a teacher.Why a student should not only take a trial lesson but observe a lesson too.The relationship between scholarship and enthusiasm.How to advocate for yourself to potentially gain more scholarship.Links Mentioned:Patricia's former teacher, Marcos Machado.Patricia's teacher, Volkan Orhon.Patricia's Facebook Page. Connect with The Scholarship Roadmap:WebsiteApple PodcastsInstagramFacebookYouTubeBook A Call With Me (no commitment, no charge.)Theme Music:‘Elegua' from Axiom Asunder by The Majestic Jazz OrchestraComposed by Buzz Jones.

Host Robert Rimm talks with Afa Dworkin, president and artistic director of The Sphinx Organization, the social-justice organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Sphinx’s four program areas—Education & Access, Artist Development, Performing Artists and Arts Leadership—form a pipeline that develops and supports diversity and inclusion in classical music at every level: music education, artists performing on stage, the repertoire and programming being performed, communities represented in audiences, and artistic and administrative leadership within the field.

The Sphinx Organization has celebrated and brought together Black and brown musicians for over two decades, but because of COVID, the organization's annual gala is going digital. This online event will include a performance of a work by composer Carlos Simon, who talks with Garrett about the gala, his music, and how he engages the issue of police brutality as an artist. Scott offers his opinion on the music of Alanis Morissette (and Beyoncé's cover of her most famous song), followed by a conversation concerning this year's Presidential Election. Playlist: Jerry Goldsmith - "Star Trek" score (excerpt) Astor Piazzolla - Estaciones Porteñas (feat. Lara St. John) arr. Mari-Pitout - "Ndikhokhele Bawo, Xhosa" (feat. Exigence) Engelbert Humperdinck - Hansel and Gretel Alicia Keys ft. Khalid - "So Done" Alanis Morissette - "Uninvited" arr. Beyoncé - "You Oughta Know" Chris Rogerson - Thirty Thousand Days Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 9 Ulysses Kay - Sonata for Bassoon Carlos Simon - Amen! Carlos Simon - Elegy Carlos Simon - Loop More: Carlos Simon: http://coliversimon.com/ Sphinx Gala: http://www.sphinxmusic.org/gala/ Shirley Chisholm: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/shirley-chisholm Top Music School Finds Sexual Abuse Allegations From Violinist 'Credible': https://www.npr.org/2020/09/23/916108440/top-music-school-finds-sexual-abuse-allegations-from-violinist-credible?fbclid=IwAR3LTZ-wHJRoUscqNo__nsTehufILMeetjUSbqvTXhncpHn26dRoDU9cR-c Equity Silences the Muse: https://www.danieleldermusic.com/post/equity-silences-the-muse Joe Rogan vs. Spotify: https://www.sportskeeda.com/esports/spotify-now-trying-cancel-joe-rogan Dmitri Shostakovich and Ulysses Kay: https://www.wbur.org/artery/2020/07/31/bso-ulysses-kay-world-premiere MPR Music Union: https://www.twincities.com/2020/09/24/staffers-at-mprs-music-stations-the-current-and-classical-mpr-vote-to-unionize/

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

No programa de hoje, Rodrigo Marques recebe a contrabaixista brasiliense Patricia Weitzel. Formada em contrabaixo pela Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais e doutora pela University of Southern Mississippi, nos Estados Unidos, onde reside atualmente, ela conta como foi o começo dos estudos no instrumento ainda criança, a mudança para o exterior, e os trabalhos que desenvolve atualmente como professora na Schwob School of Music, da Columbus State University e nas orquestras sinfônicas Des Moines e Quad City, e também da Sphinx Organization. No papo, ela faz reflexões acerca da desigualdade étnica que ainda persiste nos grupos orquestrais nos Estados Unidos, onde menos de 2% dos integrantes são negros ou latinos, e como o trabalho da Sphinx tenta transformar esse panorama. Patricia também é uma das contrabaixistas da orquestra que regravou toda a trilha sonora do filme Rei Leão, composta por Hans Zimmer, na versão live-action de 2019. O programa de hoje está imperdível! Rodrigo Marques https://www.instagram.com/rodrigojotam Patricia Weitzel https://www.facebook.com/weitzelbass Muito Mais Baixo https://www.facebook.com/muitomaisbaixo muitomaisbaixo@gmail.com

Afa Dworkin is the President and Artistic Director of the Sphinx Organization, where she oversees all fundraising, strategic, and artistic initiatives. Founded in 1997, the Sphinx Organization has four program areas - Education and Access, Artist Development, Performing Artists, and Arts Leadership - which form a pipeline that develops and supports diversity and inclusion in classical music at every level of our field: music education, performing artists, repertoire programmed, the communities represented in audiences, and artistic and administrative leadership. Sphinx Organization reaches more than 100,000 students and artists as well as live and broadcast audiences of more than two million annually. Ms. Dworkin’s leadership of the organization is informed by her musical training, over twenty-five years of experience in the field, as well as her international corporate experience as a trilingual interpreter and Executive Assistant to the President of ARCO, The International Oil and Gas Company in Baku in Azerbaijian. Ms. Dworkin and I discuss the question: Why is a lack of diversity harmful to classical music? We discuss why classical music is not a meritocracy, steps organizations can take to address diversity in a meaningful way, why this issue poses an existential threat to our field, and doing and saying the difficult things when no one is looking.You can find out more about Ms. Dworkin and the Sphinx Organization at their website www.sphinxmusic.org.

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Aaron Dworkin is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur with passion for diversifying and amplifying the arts. Epitomizing how art, leadership, and diversity all play a vital role in advancing our society, Dwokin founded The Sphinx Organization, a non-profit organization that molds Black and Latinx classical musicians, and he serves on the advisory board for several prestigious arts organizations. Dworkin is an educator of both Arts Leadership and Entrepreneurial Leadership at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Aaron Dworkin, decorated in awards and accolades, continues to be a force in his community, driving the need for diversity, arts education, and leadership. aarondworkin.com · www.creativeprocess.info

As the daughter of a civil rights activist, our guest for today has learned a lot about choosing her battles by watching her father vehemently fight them all. Equally a product of her mother's faith-focused child rearing, she speaks passionately about the role purpose-based living has played in building her life and her diversified career.  Jade Simmons spent the first few years of her career performing as a classical concert pianist. Following an artistic epiphany, she pivoted from playing the piano to impressing audiences, to using the piano as the vehicle by which to provide the inspiration, information, and entertainment that profoundly moves them instead. Jade's impactful message translates to corporate and college audiences alike. Her uncommon insight and enlightened perspective touch anyone looking for fresh ideas and inspiration.  Jade has performed at The White House and has also received the Sphinx Organization's Medal of Excellence in a concert held at the US Supreme Court. This year, Jade hopes to return to The White House with her Operation Restoration 2020 program. 2020 Independent Presidential candidate, Jade Simmons, brings a new lane of experience to the table, eschewing the traditional path of politicians who have come before her. We have seen what politics, as usual, can do. It's time now for a fresh take and a new vision.

It's not uncommon for a season of Drag Race to lose the plot a little on the third episode (Shakesqueer, anyone?), but this week really went on a sudden vacation. The eight remaining queens are tasked with the ever-relevant task of designing themed hotel rooms. The results are, as expected, not exactly Fodor's favorites. A 3-in-1 runway makes us nostalgic for Drag Race Thailand, the judges' critiques are meticulously “crafted” for social media chaos, and the lip sync is surprisingly more of a mercy kill than an assassination. Donate to: Sphinx Organization: http://www.sphinxmusic.org/ TransgenderLawCenter.org/donate https://www.theokraproject.com/ Patreon: www.patreon.com/alrightmary Email: alrightmarypodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @alrightmary Johnny: @johnnyalso (Instagram) Colin: @colindrucker (Twitter) Web: www.tasteofreality.com/alright-mary/ www.alrightmary.com

Tito Muñoz is in his sixth year leading the Phoenix Symphony as Music Director. Before that he served as Music Director of Opéra National de Lorraine and the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy in France. He has appeared with many of the most prominent orchestras in North America and is scheduled for forthcoming engagements with symphonies from Denmark to Sydney. Tito is an ardent proponent of new music and has conducted the premieres of new works from renowned contemporary composers, including Gerald Barry and Michael Hersch. In February 2020, Corey Madden first heard Tito speak at SphinxConnect, a conference held annually in Detroit, MI and organized by the Sphinx Organization, which is dedicated to developing and supporting inclusion and diversity in classical music at every level. In this conversation with Corey, Tito discusses how he and other symphonic conductors have been taught to lead and considers what’s still missing in the training. He also reveals how celebrating contemporary composers and encouraging budding musicians to be more creative might once again make the classical music hall a place for adventurous audiences. https://www.phoenixsymphony.org/ http://www.sphinxmusic.org/ https://sevenlastwords.org/

Tito Muñoz is in his sixth year leading the Phoenix Symphony as Music Director. Before that he served as Music Director of Opéra National de Lorraine and the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy in France. He has appeared with many of the most prominent orchestras in North America and is scheduled for forthcoming engagements with symphonies from Denmark to Sydney. Tito is an ardent proponent of new music and has conducted the premieres of new works from renowned contemporary composers, including Gerald Barry and Michael Hersch. In February 2020, Corey Madden first heard Tito speak at SphinxConnect, a conference held annually in Detroit, MI and organized by the Sphinx Organization, which is dedicated to developing and supporting inclusion and diversity in classical music at every level. In this conversation with Corey, Tito discusses how he and other symphonic conductors have been taught to lead and considers what’s still missing in the training. He also reveals how celebrating contemporary composers and encouraging budding musicians to be more creative might once again make the classical music hall a place for adventurous audiences. https://www.phoenixsymphony.org/ http://www.sphinxmusic.org/ https://sevenlastwords.org/

Work. Shouldn't. Suck. LIVE: The Morning(ish) Show with special guest Aaron Dworkin, Social Entrepreneur, Artist, Philanthropist, & Professor of Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship. [Live show recorded: April 6, 2020.] AARON DWORKIN Named a 2005 MacArthur Fellow, President Obama’s first appointment to the National Council on the Arts and Governor Snyder’s appointment to the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, Aaron P. Dworkin served as dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD), which is ranked among the top performing arts schools in the nation. He is currently a tenured full professor of arts leadership and entrepreneurship at SMTD as well as serving as a Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. In addition, Aaron is a successful social entrepreneur having founded The Sphinx Organization, the leading arts organization with the mission of transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. He is also co-founder of SonoGrub.com, a weekly blog pairing great food and music. As a best-selling writer, Aaron has authored The Entrepreneurial Artist: Lessons from Highly Successful Creatives published by Rowman & Littlefield, a science-fiction novel, Ethos: Rise of Malcolm published by MorganJames, as well as his memoir titled Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee's Journey to Leadership released through Aquarius Press, a poetry collection, They Said I Wasn’t Really Black, and a children’s book The 1st Adventure of Chilli Pepperz. A lifelong musician, Aaron is a prominent spoken-word performing artist represented by Cadenza Artists. He has collaborated with a breadth of artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Damien Sneed, Anna Deveare Smith, Damian Woetzel, Lil Buck and others. His visual digital art project, Fractured History, has been exhibited at multiple galleries and museums to rave reviews. He recorded and produced two CDs, entitled Ebony Rhythm and Bar-Talk, in addition to writing, producing, and directing the independent film Deliberation. A multi-media performing artist, author, social entrepreneur, artist-citizen, and educator, Aaron continually receives extensive national recognition for his leadership and service to communities. He has been featured in numerous media outlets, and was named one of Newsweek’s “15 People Who Make America Great.” He is the recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Honorary Membership, Harvard University’s Vosgerchian Teaching Award, National Governors Association 2005 Distinguished Service to State Government Award, Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, Detroit News’s 2003 Michiganian of the Year Award, Crain’s 40 Under 40 and Who’s Who Awards, BET’s History Makers in the Making Award, AT&T Excellence in Education Award, and National Black MBA’s Entrepreneur of The Year. As an artist curator, he has served as a juror for some of the most prestigious international competitions including the Menuhin Competition, London Music Masters Competition, Stulberg International Violin Competition and the Sphinx Competition. A sought-after global thought leader and a passionate advocate for excellence in arts education, entrepreneurship and leadership, as well as inclusion in the performing arts, Aaron is a frequent keynote speaker and lecturer at numerous national and global arts, creativity and technology conferences. He served as commencement speaker at the Curtis Institute of Music, University of Michigan, Longy Conservatory and twice for Bowling Green State University. In May of 2013, the renowned Curtis Institute of Music awarded Honorary Doctorates to Aaron and Sir Simon Rattle, longtime maestro of the Berlin Philharmonic. Aaron also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in violin performance from the University of Michigan. Aaron personifies arts leadership,...

The widely acclaimed Harlem Quartet is in residence from October 21-25, 2019 as part of Quad City Arts’ Visiting Artist Series . Founded in 2006 by the Sphinx Organization , their mission is to build diversity in classical music, and to engage new and young audiences through the discovery of a varied musical repertoire that includes works by minority composers. This Grammy Award winning quartet performs jazz, Latin, and contemporary music in addition to their classical work.

For more than twenty years, the Sphinx Organization has been dedicated to the development of young African-American and LatinX musicians. The annual Sphinx Competition recognizes rising young classical musicians of color, and the Sphinx Virtuosi is a chamber orchestra that features recent contestants. Afa Dworkin, the group’s artistic director, talks about the ensemble's performance in Watson Hall at UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC. Learn more about the Sphinx Virtuosi in Concert Pictured: Afa Dworkin; by Kevin Kennedy

Episode 122 - Lara Downes. Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Lara Downes. Lara Downes is among the foremost American pianists of her generation, an iconoclast dedicated to expanding the resonance and relevance of live music for diverse audiences. A trailblazer on and off-stage, she follows a musical roadmap that seeks inspiration from the legacies of history, family, and collective memory. Downes' playing has been called “ravishing” by Fanfare Magazine, "luscious, moody and dreamy” by The New York Times, and "addicting" by The Huffington Post. As a chart-topping recording artist, a powerfully charismatic performer, a curator and taste-maker, Downes is recognized as a cultural visionary on the national arts scene. Lara's forays into the broad landscape of American music have created a series of acclaimed recordings, including America Again, selected by NPR as one of "10 Albums that Saved 2016", and hailed as "a balm for a country riven by disunion" by the Boston Globe. Her Sony Classical debut release For Lenny debuted in the Billboard Top 20 and was awarded the 2017 Classical Recording Foundation Award. Downes enjoys creative collaborations with a range of leading artists, including folk icon Judy Collins, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, baritone Thomas Hampson, former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, and multi-instrumentalist/composer/singer Rhiannon Giddens. Her close partnerships with prominent composers span genres and generations, with premieres and commissions coming from Jennifer Higdon, John Corigliano, Stephen Schwartz, Paola Prestini, Sarah Kirkland Snider and many others. Downes' fierce commitment to arts advocacy, mentorship and education sees her working in support of non-profit organizations including the Lower Eastside Girls Club of NY, PLAN International, the Sphinx Organization, and NPR's From The Top, where she will appear as a featured guest host in Spring 2019. Her Sony Masterworks recording Holes in the Sky, a celebration of the contributions of phenomenal women to the past, present and future of American music, was released in March 2019, debuting at the top of the Billboard charts. Her newest album, FOR LOVE OF YOU continues the strand of music by women, celebrating the 200th birthday of Clara Schumann. The album was featured in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/arts/music/clara-schumann.html More info: http://www.laradownes.com/for-love-of-you Buy album: https://lnk.to/ForLoveOfYou Website: http://www.laradownes.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pSV3M4cqq8MUqT3SrXdpS YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTJh1m1BlPhkK7_deTexdXw Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/100002728555138 Instagram: http://instagram.com/laradownesmusic Twitter: https://twitter.com/laradownes All music excerpts in episode are used with permission from Lara Downes. Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode. The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund. Please visit our website for more information: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com The Curiosity Hour Podcast is listener supported! To donate, click here: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/donate/ Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/ Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Jessie talks with Wayla about her music for the new Dance Theatre of Harlem ballet (a world premiere that takes place this weekend, commissioned by the Virginia Arts Festival and the 2019 Commemoration, American Evolution), as well as her work with the Sphinx Organization and recent developments in the American orchestral landscape.

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Dr. Immanuel Abraham.  Immanuel talks to us about his path to a professional career, all things mindful and efficient practice, and the importance of learning to compose in enhancing your performance on your instrument! Immanuel has a wonderful approach to practicing and music-making and I hope you enjoy his story and find yourself inspired by his dedication and determination!   ALL ABOUT guest: Website: https://www.immanuelabraham.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theviolindoctor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheViolinDoctor/ The Violin Guild: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheViolinGuild/ YouTube channels: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCddZDSbY6_Y4cIa-nMsY2oA   Biography American violinist and composer, Dr. Immanuel Abraham, graduated Summa Cum Laude from both the University of Michigan (MM, 2015) and University of Arizona (DMA, 2018) with degrees in Violin Performance. He has earned numerous awards, recognitions, and is a sought-after composer.  His most recent commissions have included complete scores for theatrical works, string quartets, and "The Abraham 24 Caprices for Solo Violin", which have premiered in 3 countries. Dr. Abraham has performed in 7 countries, been featured on CBS Detroit, Buzzfeed, and Fiddlerman's exclusive blog series "Music Is For Everyone." His Instagram @TheViolinDoctor engages 20K followers. ​Dr. Abraham began music studies at in 2004 under Chicago Civic Orchestra Concertmaster, Guillaume Combet. Only months later, he auditioned into the Merit School of Music Conservatory.  In the next three years he placed 2nd in the institution's Annual Concerto Competition and became Concertmaster of the Merit Symphony Orchestra.  Simultaneously, he served as asst. concertmaster in the Chicago Youth Symphony (including the 2008 CYMI under Maestro Gustavo Dudamel) and was Concertmaster of the Blue Lake International Youth Symphony Orchestra. Graduating with highest honors, he continued violin studies at the University of Michigan under Naumberg Award-Winner, Andrew Jennings. There he began to compose and explore the Electric Violin as well. In 2013, he won the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Concerto Competition, soloing the Conus Violin Concerto for a live audience of over 1,500 and airing live on FM Radio.  In 2014, he placed 2nd in the Stamp.FM Online Music Awards, and opened for world-class bands We The Kings and HelloGoodbye at the Michigan Theater. His first year in Arizona, he won the University of Arizona 2015 Concerto Competition with the Brahms Violin Concerto. He premiered his own cadenza, replacing the 1867 standard by Joseph Joachim.  Dr. Abraham also served as the Arizona Symphony Orchestra concertmaster for two years under Maestro Thomas Cockrell, and the Arizona Contemporary Ensemble ("ACE") under Maestro Daniel Asia.  He  also is a recipient of the Fred Fox School of Music​ Graduate Fellowship. ​Dr. Abraham has enjoyed work as the concertmaster of the Michigan Pops Orchestra, sub-anchor for Blue Lake Public Radio, Violin Specialist for the Sphinx Organization, Violin; Viola; Cello; faculty at the Chicago Music Store, Allegro School of Music, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and as the United States Consultant for the 1st Oskar Rieding International Competition for Young Violinists. He also served two years as an assistant teacher for the University of Arizona, giving weekly lectures in music history. Today, Dr. Abraham directs his own private studio of two-dozen local Arizonan students (sign up here!) He plays on a modern violin by renown Japanese luthier, Tetsuo Matsuda.  He is also the creator of Facebook's most popular bowed-string forum, The Violin Guild™, comprising over 30,000 members worldwide!   If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/   THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also, a huge thank you to my producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

Aaron Dworkin is a Tupac fan. Aaron talks to Kai about growing up with his adoptive family and later finding his birth parents through, of all things, the internet. He also shares the story of how his sister found out that she had a brother, his mindset in founding the Sphinx Organization during his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan (where he later became dean), and the process of how he realized his vision. Finally, they discuss the timelessness of Tupac's lyrics and the virtuosity of Eminem.    

In Ian’s latest interview your host has the incredible fortune of sitting down to chat with amazing Michael Abels, composer of the multiple award-winning, psychological thriller, Get Out! Michael chats about collaborating with the Sphinx Organization and Sphinx Virtuosi, Delights & Dances, Urban Legends, the huge success of Get Out and creating the score, upcoming […]

Afa Dworkin is the President and Artistic Director of the Sphinx Organization, whose mission is to transform lives through the power of diversity in the arts. In this episode, Erik and Afa discuss the very real societal structural barriers that limit inclusion, how most American orchestras present works by mostly white men, and why risk averse leaders must make big changes in staffing and programming to align their organizations with changing demographic realities in order to keep classical music relevant and alive in this country.

Director of Education at the Sphinx Organization, Xavier Verna reveals how the Sphinx Organization is overcoming a lack of diversity in the arts with camps, scholarships, and competitions for black and latino students.

Ethnic diversity remains a troublesome question for American orchestras. Just over four percent of their musicians are African-American and Latino, according to the League of American Orchestras, and when it comes to orchestra boards and CEOs, the numbers are even starker: only one percent. Ethnic diversity is also a rare sight among guest soloists and conductors. This issue was front and center during the third annual SphinxCon conference, hosted last weekend by the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization. Its founder and president, Aaron Dworkin, joins us for this week's Conducting Business, along with two active musicians: Weston Sprott, a trombonist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; and Melissa White, a violinist who performs in the Harlem Quartet. In this segment our guests discuss: The advantages and shortcomings of blind auditions, in which orchestra job candidates perform behind a screen. The challenges of developing a diverse audition pool in the first place. Where Dworkin believes orchestras fall short compared with other sectors. How orchestras and ensembles can broaden repertoire and formats beyond the traditional concert hall. Where subtle (and not-so-subtle) forms of racism emerge in the hiring process for orchestra players. Where signs of change are occurring (including in Nashville and New York). The graph below illustrates the percentages of black and Hispanic musicians enrolled in major music conservatories. Listen to the full segment at the top of this page and share your thoughts below.

When news broke that Anthony McGill would be the New York Philharmonic’s next principal clarinetist, much of the attention centered on the political intrigue – that he was filling a longstanding vacancy and the perception that he'd been "poached" from the Met Orchestra. But there's also this fact: McGill, a widely respected musician, will be the Philharmonic's first African-American principal player – and part of the roughly two percent of U.S. orchestra musicians who are black. In this podcast we ask why efforts by the orchestra world to improve minority representation remain slow in producing results – and whether McGill's hiring could set a broader example. As we hear, racial and ethnic diversity is good for orchestras not only ethically, but also potentially financially: Funding is increasingly attached to programs that feature minorities and the communities where orchestras perform. Guests: Aaron Dworkin, the president of the Sphinx Organization, which gives opportunities for young black and Latino string players through an annual competition, scholarships and study grants. E. Tammy Kim, a writer for Al Jazeera America who recently wrote a major feature about diversity in orchestras. Burt Mason, the principal trombonist of the Chamber Orchestra of New York; he's also subbed in the New York Philharmonic and is starting Ovations Concerts, a project aimed at promoting diversity with musicians of color and emerging artists. Segment Highlights: On McGill's Hiring: Dworkin: It is a great step forward in the field. From Sphinx's perspective, we want to make sure that this isn't just the rare occurrence that it currently is but the beginning of what hopefully is a groundswell of building inclusion in our nation's orchestras – especially the top orchestras. We have not just a minor, but a significant under-representation of our communities within the ranks of our major orchestras.     Lack of Resources and Role Models for Young Black Musicians Mason: For a lot of minorities, you'll either see them being more interested in jazz or marching band. It's an interesting thing. When I was in high school, playing trombone was not the most popular thing you could do. When you're studying and dedicating your time to this, and you look around you, it can be sort of isolating sometimes, and that can be discouraging if you're not into what you're doing. Kim: Socioeconomic reasons are often proffered to explain why there aren't many minorities in classical music. That holds to a point. It is also true that people without access in their families and communities, if they're exceptional, can also draw on other kinds of resources. Nevertheless, that initial moment of the public school experience is still cited by so many people who have succeeded in classical music today.   How the Hiring Process in Orchestras Can Change Dworkin: We believe there should be additional criteria in the audition process [beyond the performance itself]. We think that innovation, creativity, cultural background, repertoire knowledge, teaching ability – additional criteria such as these should be part of the audition criteria. If you do have two equal candidates and you're looking to see what you want to bring into your orchestra, then you can look at these additional criteria.   What Will Motivate Orchestras to Become More Inclusive: Dworkin: From our perspective, orchestras need to make a financial commitment, a resource commitment to tackle this issue. That may come in the form of recruitment, it may come in the form of fellowships for musicians of color, it may come in looking at the repertoire of orchestras: Less than one percent of the works performed by orchestras in America are by any composer of color. So it's not just membership onstage, but it goes deep into the ranks of the music directors, the staffing of orchestras. Kim: Having a diverse orchestra is also a business decision. It's about saving your orchestra from demise at the hands of a market that is not kind to classical music right now by many estimates, and by appealing to your community, and your community is increasingly diverse. So it's good for the New York Philharmonic musically, but it's good for them perhaps economically.   Listen and weigh in: What, if anything, should American orchestras do to become more inclusive?

February 2013 - Paul W. Smith and co-host Ric DeVore welcome Aaron Dworkin Founder and President of The Sphinx Organization. The Sphinx Organization is a leading organization that focuses on youth development and diversity in classical music. Paul Ric and Aaron will discuss how getting our youth involved in music and the arts can help them grow in so many ways. They will also talk about SphinxCon the annual event where leaders from around the country gather to share ideas best practices get inspired and build connections that can make a difference for our youth. Click here to see this month39s video podcast of PNC Roundtable

February 2013 - Paul W. Smith and co-host Ric DeVore welcome Aaron Dworkin Founder and President of The Sphinx Organization. The Sphinx Organization is a leading organization that focuses on youth development and diversity in classical music. Paul Ric and Aaron will discuss how getting our youth involved in music and the arts can help them grow in so many ways. They will also talk about SphinxCon the annual event where leaders from around the country gather to share ideas best practices get inspired and build connections that can make a difference for our youth. Click here to see this month39s video podcast of PNC Roundtable

Aaron Dworkin, President and Founder of the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization drops in on Patrick D. McCoy, The African American Voice in Classical Music to discuss his recent appointment to National Council on Arts.  He was confirmed on Tuesday by the Senate and will serve a six year term.  Dworkin, was nominated for the post last year by President Barack Obama.  Dworkin started the Sphinx Organization to provide opportunties for Black and Latino string players in addition to advocating for the arts.  The Sphinx Organization is known for its annual string competition, which showcases some of nation's most exceptional minority string players. Beginning with a very small budget, the organization is certainly a success story.  Dworkin is a graduate of the University of Michigan.