American Violinist Bags Top Prize For 2017 Sphinx String Competition In Detroit

The 20th Annual Sphinx Competition has just concluded its Finals Concert in Detroit and the 21-year old violinist, Annelle Gregory bags the top prize. Gregory is from the USC Thornton School of Music and was awarded the $50,000 Senior First Prize.

This is not the first time that Gregory has won a major prize in a similar competition.  Back in 2013, she is a Laureate of the Stradivarius International  Violin Competition and also a finalist in the 2015 and 2016 Sphinx competition, The Violin Channel reports.

Santiago Canon-Valencia, a 21-year old cellist from Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, took home the second prize ($20,000), while Gabriel Martins, an 18-year old cellist who is also from USC Thornton School of Music, got the third highest award of the night ($10,000).

Ifetayo Ali-Landing, homeschooled,  is the top cellist in the Junior Division of the Sphinx String Competition.  Violinist Katia Tesarczyk Parraguez, Saint Paul Central High School,  and cellist Joshua McClendon, Interlochen Arts Academy,  grabbed the second and third post of the same division.

The Sphinx String Competition, run by the Sphinx Organization, has been happening yearly since 1997, giving American Black and Latino Junior High, High School and College students a chance to display their string musical talents.  The annual event helps to encourage Black and Latino students to appreciate and excel in classical music.

One of the judges for this year's competition is Joseph Conyers, who is currently the assistant principal bass of the highly coveted Philadelphia Orchestra, shared his experience when he first came to Detroit to perform during the 2004 Sphinx String Competition.  He was only 16 back then and it was one of the happiest moments of his life, according to The Detroit News.

The Sphinx String Competition has also opened opportunities for many aspiring classical musicians.  Melissa White, who won the top award for the younger string players back in 2001, is currently a member of the Harlem Quartet.  The competition, according to her, really boosted her career as a violinist.  She was even able to take lessons from the great Isaac Stern, one of the great classical musicians of the 20th century.

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TagsDetroit, Detroit Sphinx String Competition, America, Violin