Sphinx Chamber Orchestra Returns to Harris Theatre, 10/18

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance is pleased to present the return of the internationally heralded Sphinx Chamber Orchestra (SCO) on Monday, October 18, 2010 at 7:30 pm. Comprised of the top Laureates of the national Sphinx Competition for young African American and Latino string players, the 25-member Sphinx Chamber Orchestra will perform and eclectic program featuring selections by Prokofiev, Dvorak, Turina, Tillis, and more. Under the direction of conductor Damon Gupton, the SCO will also be joined by the Harlem Quartet, an ensemble comprised of First Place Laureates of the Sphinx Competition. The Sphinx Chamber Orchestra made its Chicago debut at the Harris in 2008 as part of the Theater's Fifth Anniversary Season.

"In the 14 years since Aaron Dworkin founded the Sphinx Organization, it has grown from an annual competition for young African American and Latino string players into a national arts and youth development organization with programs that reach more than 30,000 students annually," said Michael Tiknis, President and Managing Director of the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. "The Harris Theater is particularly pleased to provide musical outreach opportunities for some of Chicago's most gifted music students by connecting them to the award-winning young musicians of the SCO as part of their engagement with us. We greatly admire the tremendous impact that the Sphinx Organization has made in promoting cultural diversity in classical music, and it is our privilege to present the return of this influential and inspiring ensemble."

The Sphinx Chamber Orchestra is an ensemble comprised of the top alumni of the national Sphinx Competition for young African American and Latino string players. Inspired by Sphinx's mission to increase participation of African American and Latinos in music schools; as professional musicians; and as classical music audiences; SCO works to advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through performances of varied repertoire. SCO is admired for its performances of masterpieces by Bach, Vivaldi and Mozart, alongside the more seldom presented works by composers of color, including Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, George Walker, Michael Abels and Astor Piazzolla. The exceptional group earned rave reviews from the New York Times in December of 2004, during its highly acclaimed debut at Carnegie Hall; SCO has returned to Carnegie Hall annually performing to sold-out audiences with over 2,800 patrons in attendance at each performance.

The program for the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra engagement is as follows:

Sibelius                                   Andante Festivo
Prokofiev                                 Sonata for 2 Violins IV
Perkinson                                Sinfonietta No. 1: III. Rondo: Allegro Furioso
Walker                                      Lyric for Strings
Dvorak                                     Serenade, Movement IV
Frank                                       Coqueteos from Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout
Tillis                                        Spiritual Fantasy "Wade in Water"
Turina                                      The Bullfighter's Prayer

In addition to their concert at the Harris Theater, musicians from the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra will participate in several educational community outreach performances for area music students. Top SCO musicians will perform works by minority composers, describe the repertoire, and engage the students in question and answer sessions.Tickets to this special performance are just $10 each and  are on sale now at the Harris Theater Box Office located in Millennium Park at 205 E. Randolph Dr., by calling 312-334-7777 or online at www.harristheaterchicago.org.

The Harris Theater shares this commitment to increasing engagement in the arts, creating the Access Tickets Program to ensure that the arts remain a vital part of the community during challenging economic times and beyond. As part of this important program, the Harris pledges to provide a minimum of 10% of SCO tickets free of charge to children and families through local social service and health agencies. The Theater's goal for the 2010-2011season is to provide a minimum of 1,000 tickets to organizations partnering with the Theater through the Access Tickets Program.

The Sphinx Organization is the national non-profit arts and youth development organization dedicated to building diversity in classical music.  The mission of the Sphinx Organization is to increase African American and Latino participation in music schools, as professional musicians, as classical music audiences, and to administer youth development initiatives in underserved communities through music education.  Sphinx envisions a world in which classical music reflects cultural diversity and plays a role in the everyday lives of youths. 

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