Semi Finalists Announced for Detroit's 2021 Sphinx Competition

Hosted every year, the competition is open to American Black and Latino classical string soloists between the ages of 18 and 31

To be held virtually this month, the Sphinx Competition announced its 2021 Semi-finalists.

The 2021 Senior first prize winner will receive US $50,000 plus a number of prestigious solo engagements.

The Junior Division Semi-Finalists (17 years and under) are:

• Ian Barnett (Violin)
• Isabela Diaz (Violin)
• Gabriella Foster (Violin)
• Kearston Gonzales (Violin)
• Brandon Leonard (Cello)
• Jonathan Okseniuk (Violin)
• Amaryn Olmeda (Violin)
• Dillon P. Scott (Viola)
• George T.A. Wolfe-McGuire (Cello)

The Senior Division Semi-Finalists (18 to 30 years old) are:

• Paul Aguilar (Violin)
• Quenton Xavier Blache (Cello)
• Kebra-Seyoun Charles (Bass)
• Maïthéna Girault (Violin)
• Christian Gray (Bass)
• Luiz Fernando Venturelli (Cello)
• Mikel Rollet (Viola)
• Samuel Abraham Vargas Teixeira (Violin)
• Andres Vela (Bass)

The 2021 jury will comprise of Jennifer Arnold, Joel Krosnick, Tai Murray, Philippe Quint, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Matthew Van Besien, and VC Artist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt.

The Semi-Final round will be streamed live on The Violin Channel from 10am (EST) on Friday January 15th, 2021. You won't miss a beat.