The annual Detroit contest, including senior and junior divisions, is open to Black and Latino US string players

sphinx

Annelle K. Gregory has won the senior division first prize, worth $50,000, at the 20th Sphinx Competition in Detroit, Michigan.

The 21-year-old violinist won second prize at the 2016 Sphinx competition, which was won by then 25-year-old Cuban-American cellist Thomas Mesa, and third prize at the 2015 Sphinx Competition. Currently a student of Glenn Dicterow at USC Thornton School of Music, she has also won prizes at the 2013 Stradivarius International Violin Competition and 2016 American Protégé International Concerto Competition.

Senior division second prize, worth $20,000, was awarded to 21-year-old cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia , while third prize went to 18-year-old cellist Gabriel Martins.

In the junior division, first prize, worth $10,000, went to 14-year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing (last year's second prize winner), second prize to 15-year-old violinist Katia Tesarczyk Parraguez and third prize to 16-year-old cellist Joshua McClendon.

This year's jury comprised Joseph Conyers, Aaron P. Dworkin, Pamela Frank, Charlotte Lee, Dimitri Murrath, Merry Peckham and Lara St. John.

Held annually, the Sphinx Competition is open to junior high, high school, and college-age black and Latino string players residing in the US, with the aim of developing classical music talent in the black and Latino communities.

Winner of the 2015 competition was 19-year-old violinist Eduardo Ríos, while the 2014 competition was won by 19-year-old double bassist Xavier Foley.

Watch Annelle Gregory performing at the 2016 competition below:

Photo: Tony Eisenhower

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