Semi Finalists Announced for Detroit's 2020 Sphinx Competition

The Semi-Finalists have been announced for the 2020 Sphinx Competition - to be held in Detroit, Michigan from the 5th to the 8th of February

The Semi-Finalists have been announced for the 2020 Sphinx Competition - to be held in Detroit, Michigan from the 5th to the 8th of February 2020.

Hosted every year, the competition is open to American Black and Latino classical string soloists between the ages of 18 and 31 – with the 2019 Senior 1st prize winner to receive US $50,000 plus a number of prestigious solo engagements.

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

• Esme Arias-Kim (Violin)
• Sophia Ayer (Violin)
• Vincent Garcia-Hettinger (Cello)
• Phillip Hammond (Violin)
• Brandon Leonard (Cello)
• Ethan Murphy (Cello)
• Zehavi Rodriguez (Cello)
• George T.A. Wolfe-McGuire (Cello)

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

• Paul Aguilar (Violin)
• Jordan Bak (Viola)
• Ismael Guerrero Bombut (Cello)
• Caleb Georges (Viola)
• Andrew Gonzalez (Viola)
• Edward Luengo (Cello)
• Gabriel Martins (Cello)
• Aaron Olguin (Double Bass)
• Alexandra Alvarado Switala (Violin)
• Samuel Abraham Vargas Teixeira (Violin)

The 2019 jury will comprise: Beverly Kane Baker, Lena Fankhauser, Pamela Frank, Bella Hristova, Mark Kosower, Joel Krosnick and Tito Muñoz.

As the competition's official online broadcast partner, The Violin Channel will be streaming the 2020 Sphinx Competition - live from Detroit.

PICTURED: 2019 SPHINX COMPETITION 1ST PRIZE WINNER, 19-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN CELLIST STERLING ELLIOT