{"id":9683,"date":"2022-02-24T16:36:17","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T21:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/demosite2.asurtec.com\/?p=9683"},"modified":"2022-02-24T16:36:17","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T21:36:17","slug":"reflections-on-sphinxconnect-forging-alliances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oc.ca\/en\/reflections-on-sphinxconnect-forging-alliances\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections on SphinxConnect: Forging Alliances"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"From January 27-29, 2022 the Orchestras Canada team had the pleasure of attending the SphinxConnect: Forging Alliances conference. <\/strong>The annual convening, held virtually this year, brought together a stellar lineup of presenters across the North American arts ecosystem (musicians, administrators, board members, funders, and more) to discuss diversity in classical music \u2013 including fellow Canadian and Orchestras Canada\u2019s own board member, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser<\/a>. The conference culminated in the annual Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latinx string players \u2013 another virtual adaptation for this year, but with no loss of talent and creativity.<\/p>\n

In the blog post below, OC staff share a few of our reflections on themes that emerged \u2013 however, we encourage you to learn from the thoughtful presenters directly as you are able. The recordings of the conference presentations are all generously made available for free in a <\/span>playlist<\/span><\/a> on the Sphinx Organization\u2019s <\/span>YouTube<\/span> channel!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

About the Sphinx Organization<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sphinx Organization is a US-based \u201csocial justice organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts,\u201d founded by American violinist and music educator Aaron Dworkin. It began its work in 1997 as the Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latinx string players. The competition continues to this day, but Sphinx has since evolved a robust suite of programming focused on fostering excellence and increasing representation of Black and Latinx classical artists \u2013 including education, performance, commissioning of new works, and leadership development opportunities for Black and Latinx artists and arts workers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conference reflections<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

1- Human potential and innovation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A theme that arose repeatedly in the sessions that OC staff attended is the human potential and innovation that is possible for orchestras, if we are willing to embrace its full spectrum. The conference program covered so many areas of opportunity for orchestras \u2013 from governance, to artistic programming, to music education and community engagement and beyond. There is so much talent \u2013 both in emerging artists and arts workers, as well as existing expertise in folks already working in the art form \u2013 that we can engage with and learn from. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Achia Floyd put it in the \u201cRising LEADers\u201d session: don\u2019t think within a frame of what we are losing by diversifying classical music, but instead what we are gaining… the opportunities for developing the talent and art form you already have in your organization, and how we can grow through better, more innovative and inclusive collaboration.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2- An ongoing tension for orchestras: Upholding tradition vs. Responding to today\u2019s realities<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A quote that stands out in particular to OC staff is \u201cTradition is not the worship of ashes, but maintaining the fire,\u201d shared by Enrique M\u00e1rquez in the Rising LEADers session. WOW! How can (and will) orchestras\u2019 art, our capacity to gather people to enjoy music together, serve our neighbours in 2022 and beyond?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the last couple of centuries, orchestras have been (by and large) in the business of tradition \u2013 particularly Eurocentric tradition, at the expense of racialized artists, workers, and patrons. While there is much beauty in the music we have played through centuries, presenters across SphinxConnect sessions rightly point out that the continued survival and elevation of classical music in the 21<\/span>st<\/span> century depends on a keener attention to the needs and ambitions of the communities in which we presently live \u2013 especially those that our Eurocentric traditions have excluded.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only is drawing from a broader palette of talent (in the work played, in those playing it, and in those \u201ckeeping the lights on\u201d behind the scenes) the right thing to do from an anti-racist + being good humans and art-makers point of view, it enriches an orchestra\u2019s work and is essential to the perception of our continued relevance and value. For example, one panelist pointed out that millennials expect diversity when they enter arts spaces \u2013 if your orchestra is not reflecting the communities you serve, you risk being passed over by your audiences of present and future.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jazm\u00edn Morales, host of the \u201cWhere the Wild Things Are\u201d panel, emphasized that to be \u201cwild\u201d and thus responsive to the \u201cwild times\u201d in which we live means to think freely about what is possible and not get stuck in procedure and habit. And as the \u201cHigher Registers: Evolving Artistic Excellence\u201d panel pointed out, the pandemic has broken many habits (e.g. rigid artistic planning cycles, length of concerts) — how can we continue to evolve with and respond to our turbulent times?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3- Sustaining and continuing to build on positive change<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In his closing keynote, Weston Sprott stated that he had seen more progress on diversity and inclusion in classical music in the last two years than he had seen prior to that in his entire lifetime \u2013 however, \u201cthe jury is still out\u201d on how long the work lasts… as such, \u201cIt\u2019s on us to keep the pressure to ensure that all this progress is not temporary\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Presenters also emphasized that lasting change in the diversity of our art forms is key \u2013 and part of ensuring lasting change is (as David Stull put it) by \u201caltering the DNA\u201d of arts institutions, structurally inserting and creating mechanisms that require change to continue, such as multi-year ongoing programs that commit to diverse artists\u2019 advancement over the long term \u2013 not just the present moment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Multiple conference presenters advocated for a broad scope for diversity work in each organization: it cannot be siloed on one committee or in one role. Presenters emphasized the importance of aligning values at all levels of decision-making (including board, executive leadership, and funders) \u2013 but also noted that change can happen in any team or role. For example, in \u201cLearning to Disrupt \u2018the White Racial Frame\u2019 in an Industry Rooted In It\u201d marketing and communications staff reflected on how they had applied anti-racism in their daily work at Minnesota Orchestra, sharing examples of racist vs. anti-racist language.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4- Last but never least… the music! A chat with 2022 Sphinx Competition judge, Juan-Miguel Hernandez<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"HeadshotJuan-Miguel Hernandez, a Montr\u00e9al-born violist with a distinguished international performance career, is no stranger to the Sphinx Competition. In a mid-February phone conversation with Boran Zaza (OC Communications and Development Director) Hernandez credited his top prize in the Senior Division at the 2006 Sphinx Competition as an important \u201ckickstart\u201d for his success as a classical musician:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“I had it in me, but I needed them to say, okay, we’ll give you what you need to kickstart the career. […] It’s the whole being in the right place at the right time. Sphinx makes sure you\u2019re in the right place at the right time.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When discussing the 2022 competition, for which Hernandez was one of several judges, he emphasized that each young performer arrives with outstanding technical skills \u2013 to decide on the top prizes, Hernandez boils judges\u2019 expectations \u201cdown to an incredible artistry in a way of doing music. [\u2026] And we were incredibly impressed with the level of artistry that we saw.” Given the virtual format of the 2022 competition, judges cast their votes individually after the performances to decide on competition winners (as opposed to gathering in person to reach a decision). Despite the change in format, for Hernandez \u201cthis year I have to say I was very, very happy with the end result.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Congratulations to the 2022 <\/span>Sphinx Competition<\/span><\/a> Winners!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Senior Division<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n