Sphinx Virtuosi

“With professional polish and populist energy,” the Sphinx Virtuosi string ensemble “lights up Carnegie Hall annually” (New York Classical Review). This season, the ensemble returns with acclaimed violinist Amaryn Olmeda and celebrates America at 250 with a program of new works and reimagined classics. Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges joins in a bold new song cycle by Damien Geter that includes a libretto by Sphinx’s founder and poetjournalist Aaron P. Dworkin. Jessie Montgomery’s Banner offers a vibrant exploration of heritage and transformation, while Stravinsky’s Concerto in D (the composer’s first work as a naturalized American citizen) connects past and present in a timeless reflection on artistic freedom. The “Blues” from Ravel’s Violin Sonata pays tribute to the quintessentially American genre. It is complemented this evening by rising multidisciplinary composer Rachel McFarlane’s American Dialogue.