- [Announcer] Support for this program is provided by the DTE Foundation, a proud presenter of the "Sphinx Competition".

The DTE Foundation congratulates the Sphinx organization and supports their work to transform lives and communities.

- [Announcer] The Noble Family Foundation, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.

(lively classical music) - Sphinx to me is fostering a future that's more inclusive in classical music.

- I don't know where I'd be without Sphinx and I know a lot of other people probably feel the same way.

So I'm really grateful for everything they've done for me.

- There's a lot of bravery and honesty in the work that is done in this organization.

I'm just am very happy to be a part of that cause.

(triumphant music) (audience applauds and cheers) (gentle classical music) - My name is Sophie Ayer, I'm 23 years old from Austin, Texas and I play the violin.

A family friend came over when I was really young, probably about four years old, and their daughter played violin for me and immediately I was drawn to the instrument.

Even before that, my parents were always like playing classical music for me, like when I was going to sleep.

So I always had an ear for it and a love for it.

It was definitely love at first sight with the violin.

I really liked certain things like how the bow felt on the string and how the patterns lay in my left hand.

So yeah, it's a love that is continued to grow.

What motivates me to play is just love for music.

It's always been like the constant in my journey.

Playing violin, I, of course always wanted to go to conservatory and I was lucky enough to do that and study music at a high level.

But yeah, what keeps me going is love for music for sure.

When I was about 14 years old, I switched violin teachers and that teacher encouraged me to apply to the Sphinx competition.

So I did and I did the competition for three years as a junior and it was always such an inspiring, amazing experience.

Sphinx has had such a huge impact on me personally.

I benefited so much from doing the competition three times and from the Empower Artist Grant that helped me apply to many colleges when I was applying for my undergrad degree.

But yeah, Sphinx to me is fostering a future that's more inclusive in classical music and I've seen it work for me as I just described, but also for many of my peers in school.

And it's amazing, Sphinx is such a unique organization.

I'll be performing the Coleridge-Taylor Violin Concerto, The first movement.

Coleridge-Taylor sought to include elements of African folk music in his compositions and that's certainly the case for this concerto.

It's an amazing romantic piece.

It's starts off very romantic and majestic.

It has this like huge opening melody and then it transitions into this lighter kind of jumpy, happy melody.

Then it goes into this mournful slow section and then slowly we return to the like soaring majestic melody of the opening and it's awesome.

(gentle music) (dramatic classical music) (lively classical music) (gentle classical music) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (bright classical music) (bright classical music continues) (bright classical music continues) (bright classical music continues) (gentle majestic classical music) (lively majestic classical music) (gentle classical music) (gentle classical music) (bright classical music) (gentle classical music) (gentle somber classical music) (bright classical music) (gentle somber classical music) (gentle somber classical music continues) (bright classical music) (gentle intense classical music) (gentle intense classical music continues) (gentle intense classical music continues) (bright classical music) (dramatic classical music) (dramatic classical music continues) (audience applauds and cheers) (lively music) - My name is Andres Sanchez, I'm a cellist.

I'm 29 years old and I started playing the cello when I was four years old and I'm from Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

So my mother's a violist and according to her, when I was young when she was playing, I would stand up up at the top of the crib and after the end of a phrase, I will start clapping.

So I think it probably started from back there.

And my father, he's not a musician, but he's always been a musician at heart.

I think they really wanted me to play an instrument.

It was always an important part of my mother's life.

And even though my father's not a musician, I think he was the one who kind of pushed for cello.

But I think music is very self-reflective and in that regard, I feel like for me, I've always felt like music is like that thing that ties my day in, day out.

Like to live and breathe music is so important to me and it makes me a better person.

Music really connects us and it actually makes us better with each other.

It encourages you to listen to the people around you on the deepest levels, not just when you meet, when you say hi, when you get to know each other on a basic level, but to listen to what someone has to say on a deeper level with their music, that you get to know them in a different way.

I've been kind of watching the Sphinx Organization and seeing everything that they do from a young age and there's a lot of bravery and honesty in the work that is done in this organization.

And I mean then the competition is just one part of all of everything that's going on, but I just am very happy to be a part of that cause.

The Ricardo Castro Cello Concerto, it's a marked vivo, it's very exciting, very lively, a lot of fun to play.

It's also very challenging, which I think like, you know, I love challenging things.

so it's, you know, right from the bat, there's like a lot of acrobatics and stuff and I think that kind of adds to the fun character.

Orchestra part is really well written because it's not too heavy, soloist is always, like the textures of the orchestra are always pretty transparent so you can hear the soloist well.

Yeah, I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.

(lively classical music) (lively classical music continues) (gentle classical music) (gentle classical music continues) (dramatic classical music) (gentle classical music) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (lively classical music) (lively classical music continues) (gentle classical music) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (gentle classical music continues) (lively classical music) (triumphant classical music) (audience applauds and cheers) (gentle classical music) - I'm Taylor Abbitt.

I'm 28, my hometown Saratoga, New York, and I play the double bass.

What drew me to playing the double bass was back in fourth grade in my school, all of the string teachers would bring all the kids in the cafeteria at a certain point in the year and they would demonstrate the string instruments and they would go through each one and I remember the bass was just so big and so cool to me.

And so that's basically why I picked it.

It was just obscenely big and it made like a rumble in the floor and I thought it was so cool.

I was first introduced to Sphinx through the National Audition Alliance program they have and through that you get to do mock auditions and get comments back from people who are behind the screen.

And I did that a couple of times and that was really helpful.

And then I did the Sphinx Orchestral Partners auditions, which is sort of a similar thing but I think it's like the next step up and it happens concurrent with the Sphinx competition.

I never thought I would really be able to do this one 'cause I know, you know, the people who've done it are so, you know, to me they're so good.

(Taylor chuckles) And so for me, this is crazy.

You know, I don't know where I'd be without Sphinx.

I know a lot of other people probably feel the same way.

So I'm really grateful for everything they've done for me.

So the piece that I'll be playing is the third movement of the Andres Martin double bass concerto with Allegro obsessive as the tempo mark.

It's really intense, it's really fast, and I think it shows off the bass in the best ways.

It just uses all the harmonics it can, it does all these little tricks.

I think what's interesting is to non-bass players, I think it actually sounds harder than it is and I joke with my friends about that a lot, but I think, you know, it is difficult but it was written by a bass player who really knew what he was doing when he made it.

(intense classical music) (intense classical music continues) (intense classical music continues) (intense classical music continues) (intense classical music continues) (intense classical music continues) (gentle somber classical music) (gentle somber classical music continues) (gentle somber classical music continues) (gentle somber classical music continues) (gentle somber classical music continues) (gentle intense classical music) (audience applauds and cheers) - [Announcer] And now please welcome Afa Dworkin, president and artistic director of the Sphinx Organization.

(audience applauds and cheers) - It is an artist's duty to reflect the times, a wisdom from the legendary Nina Simone and on a night like this, her words feel especially real.

The artists you've heard today are not only showcasing their craft, they are reflecting the times we live in and the future we're all determined to build.

Their talent, their discipline and courage are why Sphinx exists.

And now the moment we've all been waiting for, the results of our jury's final decisions, please join me now in welcoming back to the stage all three of our laureates.

They will be accompanied by our chief programming officer, Andre Dowell and tonight's distinguished award presenter, Rodney Cole, president of the DTE Foundation and a member of Sphinx's board of directors.

(audience applauds and cheers) - Good evening, everyone.

All right, a little bit more, good evening, everyone.

I know it's cold outside, but we got energy in here.

And thank you, Afa.

As president of the DTE Foundation and a proud member of the Sphinx Organization's Board, I'm honored to be here with you tonight to witness history.

I thank you for being here to celebrate these extraordinary artists.

To every competitor, you've already done something remarkable.

You've put in the hours, you've carried the pressure, and you've met this moment with integrity and we salute you.

And with that, we're gonna start with the Audience Choice Awards.

So with the Audience Choice Award, $5,000, goes to Taylor Abbitt.

(audience applauds and cheers) Our next award is the Third Place Award for $10,000.

Third Place award goes to Taylor Abbitt.

(audience applauds and cheers) And the winner of the second place award for $20,000, Sophie Ayer.

(audience applauds and cheers) And the winner of the first place award and the Robert Frederick Smith prize of $50,000, Andres Sanchez.

(audience applauds and cheers) (audience applauds and cheers continues) (gentle intense music) ♪ Honor guard ♪ ♪ We've come to far to turn and run now ♪ ♪ After all the things we've worked for ♪ ♪ It could all come crashing down ♪ ♪ I hear the rhythm of the clippers and the ringing sounds ♪ ♪ 'Tis sharp I'm my temple, need to alter my ground ♪ ♪ A legacy rooted, unshaken and unfound ♪ ♪ This is my chair and I hold the crown ♪ ♪ You're looking at a proud Black king on the throne ♪ ♪ I gotta watch it and protect it now that pops is gone ♪ ♪ I got love in my heart for this place I call home ♪ ♪ So I will look out for my home ♪ ♪ Fighting for my legacy ♪ ♪ We gotta keep pushing our people along ♪ ♪ Gotta turn up the light so that we can see ♪ ♪ That it's all up to us ♪ ♪ 'Cause we all we got ♪ ♪ I'm standing right here with my people today ♪ ♪ If there's something that you need ♪ ♪ I'll go out of my way ♪ ♪ That's why I keep pride ♪ ♪ So that when I'm long, long gone ♪ ♪ I've got something to leave behind ♪ ♪ For my daughters and sons ♪ (gentle dramatic music) ♪ It was 1963 ♪ ♪ My granddaddy took a train from Chicago to DC ♪ ♪ To link arms with Lewis and King ♪ ♪ Before there was a Michael, this was the O.G.

dream team ♪ ♪ Black visionaries who got out on the hands and knees ♪ ♪ To build the bricks and the tiles and the concrete ♪ ♪ To pave the way so I can sing and go ♪ ♪ At least, legacy ♪ ♪ Now it's on me, I'm putting in the work ♪ ♪ It's a different mentality ♪ ♪ To make sure that my daughter's life on this earth ♪ ♪ Is a better reality, legacy ♪ ♪ Pushing my sons so they don't in up in chains ♪ ♪ Or become a fatality ♪ ♪ Every move that I make to the pains and the aches ♪ ♪ I do it for the family ♪ (gentle dramatic music) (gentle dramatic music continues) (gentle classical music) ♪ Standing here ♪ ♪ Dreaming of my hand wrapped in yours ♪ (gentle classical music) ♪ Enchanted by the songs you sing to me ♪ (gentle classical music) ♪ The voice of an angel ♪ ♪ Lifting me to melody ♪ ♪ I remember when I was waiting on ♪ ♪ The high school stage ♪ ♪ You stole the show every time you walked on the stage ♪ ♪ We shared so many laughs, such special memories ♪ ♪ From those days ♪ ♪ Except the night we cried and held onto each other ♪ (gentle classical music) ♪ When I told you that I had to move away ♪ ♪ Sometimes I wonder if I should have stayed ♪ ♪ Oh so close ♪ (gentle classical music) ♪ Was it fantasy ♪ ♪ Or love ♪ (gentle classical music) ♪ I want love ♪ (gentle classical music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) ♪ Now I'm not sure where you've been going ♪ ♪ But I know where you haven't been ♪ ♪ It's right here, right there ♪ ♪ Why don't you sit right there ♪ ♪ Hey baby, won't you check him on in ♪ ♪ If you don't know, now you know ♪ ♪ You may have heard the rumors going around ♪ ♪ But no need for hearsay ♪ ♪ I'll tell you why they call me ♪ ♪ The baddest barber in this town ♪ ♪ Oh my God, what's up with this hairline ♪ ♪ Whoever cut you really ain't your friend ♪ ♪ Glad you came to me, take some advice for free ♪ ♪ Don't you visit that barber again ♪ ♪ About to hook you up with the fresh cut ♪ ♪ So even up as I throw it on down ♪ ♪ And when I'm done with you ♪ ♪ All the ladies will be lining up ♪ ♪ From every part of the town ♪ ♪ Because I'm the baddest barber around ♪ ♪ When you lay those clippers in my hand ♪ ♪ You know I'll throw it down ♪ ♪ If you ask around about ♪ ♪ Who's the bad in town ♪ ♪ It's me, the baddest barber all around ♪ ♪ Oh wait, what are we doing today ♪ ♪ Do you want a season with the crispy line ♪ ♪ Fade it away like a jump tie ♪ ♪ Leave a little bit on top and make it short on the side ♪ ♪ Like a rocket man, we can make it go up with the fohawk ♪ ♪ Trim up this beard ♪ ♪ Mix it in with some color and sponge it around ♪ ♪ If you're feeling kind of different and weird ♪ ♪ I can pick it out, even it up ♪ ♪ Take it back to the '70s with the mini fro ♪ ♪ Maybe cut it down and shape it nice ♪ ♪ Make the taper right, have it sitting real low ♪ ♪ I can part it on the left, I can part it on the right ♪ ♪ In the back, tell me what's your style ♪ ♪ And when I'm done with you ♪ ♪ You'll be walking down the block ♪ ♪ Having all the ladies running wild ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm the baddest barber around ♪ ♪ When you lay those clippers in my hand ♪ ♪ You know I'll throw it down ♪ ♪ If you ask around about who's the bad in town ♪ ♪ It's me, the baddest barber all around ♪ ♪ Hold up, wait a minute, let me put my two cents in it ♪ ♪ I'm sick of you boys, I can't like you ♪ ♪ Know anything about you styling some air ♪ ♪ So please put them razors down ♪ ♪ Come around, pull up a chair, have a seat over there ♪ ♪ Your flat tops in hot face ♪ ♪ I'm afraid really don't even begin to compare ♪ ♪ To the magic I make in this shop ♪ ♪ Now stop, I'll show you who's the baddest everywhere ♪ ♪ Wakanda forever, a newbie and twist with the wrist ♪ ♪ I'm the chick on your girl ♪ ♪ Take that nappy head, put it on lock Lauren Hill ♪ ♪ Give them dread a twirl ♪ ♪ Braids, braids and micro braids ♪ ♪ Box braid are my specialty ♪ ♪ I'm on portrait mode, focused ♪ ♪ I'm sure that you know this Houdini got so many tricks ♪ ♪ Up my sleeve ♪ ♪ 'Cause I am the baddest ♪ ♪ And if you don't know, now you know ♪ ♪ 'Cause I told you so ♪ ♪ You better ask about me ♪ (dramatic classical music) ♪ You gotta ask about me ♪ ♪ Check yourself before you wet yourself ♪ ♪ And just believe ♪ ♪ I'm the baddest ♪ (audience applauds and cheers) (audience applauds and cheers continues) - [Announcer] Support for this program is provided by the DTE Foundation, a proud presenter of the Sphinx competition.

The DTE Foundation congratulates the Sphinx organization and supports their work to transform lives and communities.

- [Announcer] The Noble Family Foundation and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.

(gentle dramatic classical music) (audience applauds and cheers) (gentle music)