Sphinx Competition alums to perform at WMU

KALAMAZOO—The Sphinx Virtuosi and The Catalyst Quartet, laureates and top alumni of the acclaimed Sphinx Competition for Young Black and Latino String Players, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall as part of the Wednesday evening concert series presented by the Bullock Performance Institute. The program will feature masterpieces by Bach, Vivaldi and Britten, as well as more contemporary works by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Astor Piazzolla, Paquito D’Rivera and Sphinx Virtuosi composer-in-residence Jessie Montgomery.

The performance will be preceded by a 7 p.m. discussion hosted by Dr. Dan Jacobson, WMU professor of music. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 for seniors and $5 for students, and are available from Miller Auditorium at millerauditorium.com/som or by calling (269) 387-2300 or (800) 228-9858.

The Sphinx Virtuosi

The Sphinx Virtuosi is a conductor-less ensemble of soloists, comprising top alumni of the national Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players. Since its highly acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut in December 2004, the ensemble has presented outstanding programs to sold-out halls of more than 2,800 and earning outstanding reviews from The New York Times each year. Inspired by Sphinx’s overarching mission, the Sphinx Virtuosi work to advance diversity in classical music while engaging young and new audiences through performances of varied repertoire. Principal players of the string orchestra are members of the Catalyst Quartet, which independently has garnered acclaim for its performances around the world.

The Catalyst Quartet

Founded by the Sphinx Organization, the Catalyst Quartet combines a serious commitment to education with a passion for contemporary works. Their mission is to advance diversity in classical music and inspire new and young audiences with dynamic performances of cutting-edge repertoire by a wide range of composers.

Bullock Music Performance Institute

The Dalton Wed@7:30pm: Live and Interactive! concert series is presented by the WMU School of Music under the auspices of the Bullock Music Performance Institute. Established in the fall of 1985 and renamed in 1988 in honor of its founder, the institute has presented events ranging from formal evening concerts to daytime educational outreach events for local audiences and students of all ages.

For more information about the Wednesday evening concert series, call (269) 387-4704 or (269) 387-4678, or visit wmich.edu/music.