>> Kazem Abdullah: Good evening, everyone. I thought I would change things up a little but and we have the wonderful Sphinx Virtuosi here. They've been on their second American tour. They've been on their second American tour this year. They started off doing a very substantial tour in the fall, and then they started their second spring tour just last week. Is that correct? Okay. And so, I thought I would sort of change things up a little bit and have us start off with a piece of music that maybe no one has ever heard before. And then we'll talk about it. This is Xavier Foley. He's a member of the Sphinx Virtuosi and we'll be speaking later after he performs a short piece. Do you want to introduce the piece, or rather play it and then introduce it? >> Xavier Foley: So, this will be one of my Irish tunes called "Irish Fantasy." >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. Just a little bit is good. Yeah. How long is the piece? >> Xavier Foley: Like four minutes. >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. Play the whole thing, I think. Play the -- >> Xavier Foley: Really? >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. Then play half of it. Two minutes. [ Music ] [ Music and Applause ] So, Xavier is very, very, modest but I'm going to have to sing his praises. He is a former Sphinx laureate, having won the Sphinx Competition several years ago. And he is also a winner of the YCA, Young Concert Artists, in New York. And in addition to being an amazing bass player, having studied at Curtis with Edgar Meyer and Hal Robinson. He's also an amazing composer and has written lots of pieces for solo double bass, but also bass in context of other instruments. And he's written a piece for tonight's program called, "For Justice and Peace." So, we're going to talk about that piece today and, yeah, because he has a solo role in the piece, we're going to have to let him go a little bit early and then I'll continue with the rest. But I thought it would be great because, yeah, like, you know, we always hear about composers of -- Brahms and all these other people. But to have a living composer that's living and working in the art form I think is always very interesting. So, thank you very much, Xavier, for playing one of your solo compositions. And I thought it would be great if you could just give us a few fords about "For Justice and Peace" and the motivation and all of these things. >> Xavier Foley: So, I got contacted by -- is this thing on? So, I [inaudible] to work in the husband of the founder of Sphinx, Aaron Dworkin, contacted me. And she wanted me to write a double concerto. I have never written a double concerto before. I've written a few -- >> Kazem Abdullah: This one [inaudible]. >> Xavier Foley: This is much better. Okay. I've written a few concertos before for [inaudible] Orchestra, but they weren't very good. There's problems with the orchestra part. There's problems with the solo bass part. It just didn't work out. So, I was a little doubtful about this double concerto, but I said, "Hey, why not. Let me try it and give it my best shot." It was not the easiest commission. She wanted me to do some different things like include a gavel in the piece. No one's ever done that, has they? I mean, I don't -- I was a little scared. So, the process was -- I live in Philly. And I'd make rounds around the city stopping at various Starbucks and free spots and college campuses like University of Penn or Drexel and just give it some time. Each day for like a month. And I finally came up with the piece you're going to hear tonight. >> Kazem Abdullah: Great. Wonderful. And, so are there any other interesting commissions or any pieces that you have in the pipeline that are going to be played by either yourself or by other ensembles? >> Xavier Foley: Yeah. So, I don't get commissioned that often, just so you know. I'm mainly a performer. But I was commissioned to write a double bass and piano sonata and I tried to include influences from R and B. Which is also an influence in the, for "Justice and Peace." And for some reason I'm very into that kind of stuff and a lot of my music has R and B in it. >> Kazem Abdullah: Well, well, yeah, look. I think that's kind of what I would say is a kind of a theme in a way of the -- or, like, one could say of the Sphinx Organization of -- one thing that I found very interesting is that so many of the musicians, they're not just virtuoso musicians that are very good at their instruments, but they also quite often have other influences on their music and other influences on what they do. So, some are soloists, some are chamber musicians, some play in symphony orchestras, some compose, some produce music. So, yeah, we'll be speaking with lots of other players. But I wanted to just make sure -- for me it's a great treat to have a living composer and you get -- or, like, you know, there are really so many other great double bass players and other great musicians that in addition to being wonderful musicians were also composers of great music and I think that's great that you're expanding the repertoire. And, so, yeah, we're looking very much forward to hearing "For Justice and for Peace." And he'll also will be speaking about the piece just before they perform it as well. So, thank you so much, Xavier. >> Xavier Foley: Thank you. Thank you. [ Applause ] >> Kazem Abdullah: Great. So, I will start with the young lady on my right. And I'll just introduce everyone else. On my right I have Allison Lovera. She's from Venezuela. And then on the far end of the state is Caleb Vaughn-Jones, who is a cellist in the organization. And then we have Clayton Penrose-Whitmore. He's on my right. And then we also have the other bass player. He'll be also shortly coming up, Christopher Johnson. He's sitting in the front row. He'll come up, like, shortly as well. So, yeah, I wanted to just make sure that we all got a sort of a sense of what the Sphinx Organization is about. I actually have known of Sphinx since the beginning, since 1998. When this competition first started, I was actually in college and had heard great things about it and have had lot of various colleagues that have sort of come through the organization. And so, it's really neat to see an organization I believe is celebrating its 22nd year. So, it's really helped and supported lots of great young artists, black and Latino string players, to forge careers in classical music. So, I thought I would start with Allison. So, Allison -- like I said, she's from Venezuela. And I wanted to -- I was wondering if you wouldn't mind to talk about a little bit about maybe El Sistema. She came through the El Sistema program that's in Venezuela. So, who here has heard of Gustavo Dudamel. Okay. Practically everybody, yeah. So, he's one of, like, the most sort of famous advocates and famous alumni from El Sistema, those of you that don't know of it. And Allison is also comes from the El Sistema tradition. So, I was wondering if you would mind to talk a little bit about your time in the program and then how you made your way to the United States. >> Allison Lovera: Good afternoon. What time is it? I don't know what time is it. Well, good evening. Good afternoon to everybody. Thank you for being here fist. Well, I want to talk first about how I started. Because originally, I stared my instrument outside the El Sistema program. My family was not able to buy an instrument for me. And there was a summer I went to this summer camp in Venezuela where Gustavo Dudamel was actually there. And I was participating in one of these recitals, and, like, it was very funny because I was playing with a violin that was actually not mine. It was my teacher's. It was too big for me. But I was just there playing, I was, like, nine years old, something like that. And after the concert, Gustavo Dudamel approached me and he came and he say, "So, I notice that that violin is, like, too big for you. Like, do you have your own?" And I was, like, "No." I mean, my father doesn't have any money to buy it. And he was, like, "Well, I mean, El Sistema -- have you heard of it?" And I was, all, "Yeah, of course. Like, I know what it is. Like, I know the orchestras." And he was, like, "Okay, great." I mean, there is at [inaudible] we called it to these building that host an orchestra for each state and for each city. So that was the -- one of the greatest first things I saw about El Sistema is that there is one building that provides music education mostly is focused on orchestra to every single kid that wants to go there and learn for free. And they give you the instrument. Like, you -- I had the possibility to, like, go there and I did my audition to I was, like, that was the next year when I was ten years old -- to the youth orchestra, I know the child's orchestra. And, like, they gave me right away a violin that I was using for years there. >> Kazem Abdullah: So, one quick question. So, do they provide all the students an instruments that play in El Sistema? Are they all provided instruments by the organization? >> Allison Lovera: Yes, most of us. Yes. For a long time, we had a lot of foundations plus the government giving money to El Sistema. And, yeah, and the [inaudible] were, like, a big amount of instruments. Not the most expensive one, but an instruments that you could use to rehearse with your orchestra. So, yeah, I think that was the best thing that helped me at least when I started there. Yeah, I was part of El Sistema since I was, like, ten years old. I started violin when I was seven. And I moved to Caracas -- Caracas is the capital of my country. And there are the three biggest orchestras of the whole country, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, the Caracas Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Teresa Carreno. So I was, like -- this was very funny also, because I was also doing another major when I moved to Caracas was for that. And, like, I was supposed to -- >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. So, what was your other major, then? >> Allison Lovera: I was doing geophysics engineering. Yeah. >> Kazem Abdullah: Really? >> Allison Lovera: Yeah, I'm a big nerd. Yeah. I was doing that for three years and at the same time I was, like, you know, playing with some small orchestras around Caracas and stuff until I started -- you know what, like, my real, like, my biggest passion is to be in orchestra. And I went and auditioned for the Teresa Carreno. That is the second biggest orchestra in my country. And that's where I, like, let myself get totally into El Sistema. As part of the orchestra we were, well, definitely rehearsing 24/7 every day. Even during the weekends, we tour a lot. That was also a very big like, someone for me that comes from a little town in Venezuela to be able to play with a great orchestra at a great level with great conductors like Gustavo Dudamel. We even played with Simon Rattle, Claudo Abbado, like, all the biggest conductors. We had big experiences with them. And to be able to travel to the biggest cities, Berlin, Munich, London, like, you know, and have that amazing experience as not only being considered as youth musicians, like, young musicians, but also professional musicians at the same time was amazing and I think that's the biggest thing El Sistema provided to us. It was people that you wouldn't normally see in classical music playing in Berlin, playing in London, playing in Tokyo, in China, in the biggest theaters. And they gave us the opportunity to succeed. Well, later after that my country fell into a very big crisis. There is a huge economical and social crisis in my country. >> Kazem Abdullah: Yeah, I know. With [inaudible]. >> Allison Lovera: And because of that, I had to find a way to get out of the country to help my family. And that's when I email my violin teacher in Chicago. Her name is Almita Vamos. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, so you went to Northwestern with the Vamoses [inaudible]. >> Allison Lovera: Oh, she was working already in Roosevelt University. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, she was already at Roosevelt. >> Allison Lovera: Yeah. I email her and I told her this is my story, this is me, this is where I come from. And I sent her videos of me playing soloist with the orchestra and she was, like, "Yeah, come here. I'll give you full scholarship. Don't worry about it. Just buy your plane ticket and I'll help you with everything else." And, yeah, I started in Roosevelt in 2016, I think. Yeah, '16. >> Kazem Abdullah: Yeah. So, Roosevelt University is in Downtown Chicago. >> Allison Lovera: Is in Downtown Chicago. >> Kazem Abdullah: Mm-hmm, Downtown Chicago. >> Allison Lovera: It's almost right in front of Buckingham Fountain but it's just very close. Yeah, I started again my career there, like, it was from zero. I had to restart my bachelor degree again because I couldn't transfer credits from my country. In the moment, I had three jobs and I was in school and my teacher was, like, "Okay, let's do competitions." And I was, like, "Oh my God." I have, like, I never thought I was going to do a competition never again. Like, my last one was when I was ten years old. And, yeah, that's when I started doing, like, tiny local competitions in Chicago and after I did the Sphinx Competition and that's how I got here. Yeah. >> Kazem Abdullah: So, for those of you that don't know, so the Sphinx Virtuosi is composed of various people that have won the Sphinx Competition over the last years. And they have both a junior division and a senior division. So, in the junior division I believe you have to be from anywhere between 12 and 18 and then the senior division is for people 18 to maybe 25, 26 and up. >> Allison Lovera: I think it's 30-something. >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. Then, sorry. >> A few years they changed it to 30 now. >> Allison Lovera: Yeah, they changed it. Mm-hmm. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, okay. So, yeah. So, then, for the senior division is for peoples aged 18 to 30. And so, I think that that's great that you -- well, one that you had the gumption to start from scratch again and then to come to a foreign country and study English and all of these things. And, yeah, so, we're very glad to have you. >> Allison Lovera: Thank you. >> Kazem Abdullah: And it should be a really wonderful performance. I just wanted to skip over to Caleb. So, Caleb, he's a cellist and I actually knew Caleb. We both went to the Peabody Conservatory when I -- I'm a trained conductor, and I guess this was maybe almost 15 years ago or something like this. I was doing one year of study at Peabody studying with Gustav Meyer and Caleb was a freshman cello major. And it was funny. I was looking, yeah, like, you know, when you're a young conductor you always are trying to find people to come and play for you in an ensemble or to play in a, you know, a conducting recital. And you have to pretty much ask the whole school in order to get an orchestra of 20 to 25 people to play for you so that you can learn how to conduct. And I was kind of super ambitious and did a project to conduct Strauss's, "Ariadne auf Naxos." And no cellist would touch it because it's a very difficult piece. There's only four cello parts, and each cello part is, like, a solo piece of Strauss. And Strauss is a very difficult composer. And I will never forget this Caleb. I needed a principle cello, and Caleb did not hesitate at all. And he did a fabulous job and I've never forgotten it and I'm so grateful. And so, I -- it was great to sort of see that he was playing in Sphinx Virtuosi. And it's funny. I haven't seen you since probably 2005. And part of the reason is that Caleb has been living in South Africa, actually, for the last decade. And he actually just kind of recently, he's recently moved back and is going to be living in Los Angeles. And I thought it would be great if you could tell us a little bit about the work you did in South Africa and also your connection to Sphinx if you feel like it. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yeah. Good evening, everyone. Yeah, so, in 2011 -- actually let me go back to 2010. I almost remember the exact date. I'm that type of person. I think it was December 12th, 2010. I got an email from who is now our chief programming director, Andre. He emailed me and asked me, he said, "Caleb, would you be interested in going to South Africa?" I looked at the email and I was, like, South Africa? For what, right? As a cello player. And then I emailed Andre back and I said, "Let me think about it." So, I let the email sit. Did Christmas, everything. And I was doing a concert down in Jacksonville, Florida, I think with the Ritz Chamber Players. I don't know if you, you probably know Ritz Chamber Players. And it was somewhere in that trip I just decided, "Okay. I think I do want to go to South Africa." And so, the thing is, I went to South Africa to work with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. And the orchestra had an outreach program, basically, attached to the orchestra where members of the orchestra would go into the townships and to what they call I guess underprivileged areas of the city of Port Elizabeth where the orchestra was located and we would teach students how to play and then there was also an orchestra kind of modeled after El Sistema. Very similar. And so there I was -- for about three years I was involved in teaching there. And then I was also the principal cellist of the Eastern Cape Philharmonic. So that's pretty much how that got started. Before that, obviously, I was involved in the competition as well and that's how Andre got my email. And, so, before I left for South Africa I obviously, I think I played in the Sphinx Symphony and things like that. But then from 2011 until literally last week, I was in South Africa permanently. So, yeah. So, I'm fresh, fresh off the boat. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, so, if you wouldn't mind just speaking like a little bit about what was the [inaudible] maybe for those of us that have not been to South Africa. What was the classical music culture like? What was it, you know, were there very many orchestras? I mean, I've been to South Africa myself. I've conducted in Durban and in Cape Town. But you were in the Eastern Cape, which is -- >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yeah, the Eastern Cape. >> Kazem Abdullah: Which was called Port Elizabeth and now is called something else. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yeah, it's called Nelson Mandela Bay. >> Kazem Abdullah: Nelson Mandela Bay. Right. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yeah. To be correct about it. But the, yeah. So, the typical, like, I mean, it's not too far off from what we see in the U.S. But it's really more economical I think than anything else. I mean, the unemployment rate in South Africa at the moment is hovering between 29 and 30 percent. So, the average person, especially from the township, cannot afford to attend concerts. So, one of the things we would do with what they're called the Music Investment Project is they would literally bus in families to attend concerts if they were interested. A lot of the kids who we taught would be on the bus along with their parents and things like that. So, it was an opportunity for them if they wanted to. It wasn't compulsory. But if they wanted to, they were able to join. So, and a lot of our concerts, you would see, you know, a whole section of kids that were there just because it was being funded for them to come. And a lot of them really, really, really enjoyed the experience. So, you know. >> Kazem Abdullah: You know, this is really amazing. You know, look, I always find it so amazing where one is sort of how far the reach of this thing, yeah, like, you know, those things our organization has actually quite a big reach, not just in the United States and, like, having, like impacted people here in the United States but also abroad in places like South Africa and places like Venezuela. It's a very sort of well-known and famous organization. Now, I want to just -- yeah, I want to just make sure I leave time for questions, but I want to -- I want the other people that are on stage to also have a chance to speak. So, Clayton Penrose-Whitmore. Clayton Penrose Whitmore. Welcome. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: Thank you. >> Kazem Abdullah: And you're playing in the first violin section. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: Yeah, I'm playing in the first violin section tonight for the concert. >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: This mic [inaudible]. >> Kazem Abdullah: Let's use this mic. And would you mind to just to tell us a little bit about yourself. I understand that you just finished your studies, that you were first at New England Conservatory and then you were also in Chicago and are based there now, is that correct? >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: Yeah, that's correct. So, I studied violin at New England Conservatory for my undergraduate degree and I finished my master's degree at University of Michigan a couple years ago and I've been living in Chicago since then, performing and playing with various ensembles such as the Sphinx Virtuosi. >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay. And you are also a Competition Laureate. Is that correct? >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: That's correct. I first got involved with the Sphinx Organization when I was about 12 years old. The teacher I was studying with at the time in Illinois, her name's Georgia Hornbacker, she showed me a newspaper clipping about this new competition that came about and the next year I applied for it and was lucky enough to make the junior division and instantly loved the experience regardless of, you know, how I performed in the competition. It was just, it was, like, meeting family members. And ever since then, I've been a part of the Sphinx Organization and I was lucky enough to win the junior division of the competition when I was 14 and then I competed again, like, probably five, six years ago in the senior division and won second place. But I've been able to participate in the Sphinx Virtuosi and play in the Sphinx Symphony and do a bunch of other things Sphinx-related. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, that's wonderful. And, so, already from the age of 12. And where did you grow up, again? I didn't catch where you actually grew up. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: So, I lived in Springfield, Illinois until I was about 13 years old. And then right before high school, I moved to Chicago to study with actually the same teacher that Allison studied with, Almita Vamos. And that was a great experience as well. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, wonderful. And, so, your connection to Sphinx is literally since you were 12 years old and so that you, yeah, like, it sounds like you've gotten a lot of wonderful opportunities from the organization and that is really been guiding post I guess throughout your studies and even in your career. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: For sure. I mean, now Sphinx has been a part of my life for over half of my life, now, which is crazy. >> Kazem Abdullah: So how old are -- I'm sorry, how old are you actually now? >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: I'm 26 years old now. >> Kazem Abdullah: Okay, 26. Okay. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: But, yeah, I mean, every step of the way throughout my musical career, they've been there to support me and help me out whether it was scholarships from music festivals in the summer, like, attending Aspen Music Festival, Heifetz, New England Conservatory, they helped me with financial aid there. And also, just, you know, just a backbone to always rely on whenever I was going through anything musically, I could always reach out and ask for advice or help or mentorship. So, they've been really great. >> Kazem Abdullah: I think it's really, really wonderful. Well, best of luck. Please stay on stage because I'm sure there will be questions. I want to bring up one other player, and I'm going to give up my seat for him. This is Christopher Johnson. Please come up on stage. Actually, please -- and I'll stand up. Yeah, there's not enough room and I wanted to keep the nice chairs on stage. So, you are a kind of an all-encompassing musician if I'm understanding. You produce music. You're not only a trained classical bass player, but you play all kinds of different styles of music. And I was wondering if you could just, yeah, you know, you could just tell us a little bit about yourself, the kinds of projects you do, the variety of work that you do. And then, yeah. >> Christopher Johnson: Good evening. How's it going, guys? I don't produce. He's the producer. He's the producer. >> Kazem Abdullah: Oh, he's the producer. Okay, sorry. Okay, the, we'll come back to that. >> Christopher Johnson: I should have lied about that. But, now, no. I'm a bassist. Like, I grew up in Boston through a similar program called Project STEP. And STEP stands for String Training Education Program. And they would go to the inner-city schools around Boston and play and introduce string instruments, violin, viola, and cello and bass. And by brother was part of the first group or one of the first groups to be part of that project. And when they showed me the bass, it was the biggest one, so I said, "Mommy, I want to play that." And, then, you know, but I was basically just following my brother. And then I did the NEC Prep up until college. Then I went to NEC for, Northern Conservatory for college and then I went to Manhattan School of Music. And, like, the whole time while I was studying my teacher would tell me that you got to play classical music. You can't play sports. You got to quit football. You can only play classical music. And then everybody -- but when I walk around the streets, everybody asked me, "Oh, you play drums." Or, "You play jazz." But, like, but I didn't. But after college and I got out and I graduated from college I realized classical music wasn't going to be the only way to put food on the table. And then I started venturing out to other bands where -- there was a tango band I played with. We just came from Korea a couple months ago. >> Kazem Abdullah: Just in time. >> Christopher Johnson: Yeah. Yeah. >> Kazem Abdullah: Sorry, not to [inaudible]. >> Christopher Johnson: We were in China 2018, too, yeah. But and then I played a Broadway play called the "Jagged Little Pill." It just came out. I premiered it in Boston at the ART. The, what else have I done? I played on "The Lion King," the one that just came out last year. There was a movie soundtrack. And there was a hip-hop brass band I used to be part of. I used to play a little percussion and, yeah, that was a thing we did for about eight years we toured around the West Coast and the East Coast and a little bit of the south and I pretty much take whatever they call me to do, you know. Yeah. >> Kazem Abdullah: Yeah, the traveling bass. A man with bass, will travel. No, It's amazing. I mean, yeah, like, yeah, like, you know, I have such great respect for the people that are able to master different styles and be versatile in all kinds of situations and what you'll find, I heard a little bit of the rehearsal this morning. They played for some first and middle school kids this morning. There were two classes of middle school kids and they played part of the program and introduced it and I think you will really, really enjoy the program. Since we have four different people and I'm sure maybe some people have questions about the individual people or maybe some questions about the Sphinx Organization, I wanted to open up the floor to questions a little bit earlier. There's a question in the back. >> So, I want to thank you all. I had the pleasure of coming this morning and hearing you and it's weird to hear the group twice. And so, I'm already primed and so kudos to you all. And I just wanted -- If I'm not giving away a secret, a couple of minutes into the first piece this morning, I noticed the absence of someone on stage. And that, to me, was as impressive as Xavier's composition and all of your collective playing. And I wonder if you could comment a little bit about the absence in the center of the stage and what that does for you as a group and individually. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: Okay. When she first said that, I was, like, "Ah. Who was missing?" But now I know what she's talking about. >> Allison Lovera: [Inaudible] was missing. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yeah, we did have a viola player who was missing. But she's not talking about him. She's talking about the fact that we do not have a conductor. And so, this -- whenever you have a conductor-less ensemble or conductor-less orchestra, we call it a chamber group, chamber orchestra. And I spoke to you in the hallway this morning as well. But, yeah. So, that actually changes the dynamic of the ensemble. Everything from rehearsal to performance, how we go about learning the music, everything is really altered quite a bit because when you have a conductor, he's like the chief, you know, he's the boss. And pretty much, you know, almost all musical decisions come from the front. But with us, it's really a collective where you have some people who have played some of the repertoire before. There's some repertoire we've never heard before, such as the Foley, it's a new piece. So, the way we go about learning it, it's really a group effort. So, yeah, I don't want to be the only one to comment on that, but most definitely there's no conductor with this ensemble. And, so, yeah. Experience really helps a lot with it as well. >> Kazem Abdullah: I actually have a question. When did you guys start rehearsing and when did you start your tour, actually? >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yeah, okay. I don't like to hog the mic. Okay. So, in September, we met for about four or five days for rehearsals. And then we began the fall tour. And so that was in Miami. We, almost every year now for the past I think four years we've met in Miami at the New World Center where the New World Symphony is. And so, we have a rehearsal time and there it's really intense where it's just almost, you know, two sessions, you know, six hours of rehearsal. And we really are just hashing out all the details, really getting into the nitty gritty. All the bonings and all that stuff is hashed out. And then at the end of that week is our first concert. And it's always, you know, such a whirlwind just trying to get it all together. But then after that, especially, you know, the first week or so of the tour you're really, like, things are really starting to gel and getting to the point. And you may have noticed, like, a lot of the stuff like we're not even looking at the music at the time because it's just, it's there, you know. And that's the nice thing about being on tour as, you know, with a symphony orchestra it's, like, you know, you get a few days of rehearsal, concert, next week new repertoire, you know. So, with this sort of thing it's like a lot of the music's really ingrained and so, yeah, it's quite nice. >> Kazem Abdullah: Any other questions? >> I may have missed it since I came in late, but I'm just curious. Is the Sphinx Organization kind of a collective of virtuosi who live all across the country and then someone has a broad idea of let's put a tour together or a single program and then goes out and kind of hand picks or invites the ensemble to be formed or are there other -- and I'm also curious. For those of you here, maybe this doesn't apply to Caleb since you've been in South Africa. But during the course of a given year, how often will you be doing something sponsored by the Sphinx Organization? >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: So, yeah. The Sphinx Organization started as kind of a competition. So, every year once a year there'd be a competition in the first week of February where students would apply, young African American and Latin mix students would apply for this competition. And then it kind of morphed into all of these different things. So, the Sphinx Organization is an umbrella organization. But inside of that there's the competition. There's Sphinx LEAD for admin positions for African American and Latin mix people and also the Sphinx Virtuosi came out of that and a bunch of other things. SOPA, which is the -- it's an audition intensive that is a launch pad for young string players to audition for orchestras and get integrated with different symphonies. And, so, the Sphinx Virtuosi probably started, what, ten years ago? >> I think about ten years ago. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: About ten years ago. And we come together usually once a year. But this is the first year that we've had two separate tour legs. And we come together from all the different stuff we do for about two months and give on concerts around the country. >> Hi. Going back to the concept of conductor-less organization. Seen lots of, I'm in a position to see lots of orchestra rehearsals. And, of course, the conductor is always, they would go along, "Okay, stop. Now, let's go back to number 22. I want -- " Who gives those -- how does that process happen when you're rehearsing? It's, like, do leaders emerge? Does someone -- you know, how does that occur? >> Allison Lovera: Well, as my colleague Caleb was saying, I think it's a group thing in -- we don't have a specifically one person saying, "Oh, let's stop and let's do this." There is, of course, the principal figures like the concert master, principal second. We have two set of principals in the ensemble, so they rotate according to the repertoire and, well, for sure they have the main work in the rehearsal process. But I think in our group, there is something unique, because we all have the opportunity to go and speak in favor of the music to organize our rehearsals. If it's, like, something is seen or heard from the second stand, we can, excuse me, we can check on this because here we hear this. Yeah, it's a teamwork. Everybody has -- we have hierarchy, is that how you pronounce that? >> Yeah, hierarchy. >> Allison Lovera: Of course, we have respect for each other, but, yeah, definitely is between all of us that we go and drive the rehearsal like that. Yeah. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: I just, I just -- and I think one of the most important things is that in a situation like this, even though we have principals and, you know, everybody at the end of the day has to put ego aside and put their music first if we're going to collaborate in this fashion. It's a lot easier if it's just one person just dictating and then what they say has to go. But if you have your idea and that idea is there for a little while and then somebody comes up with a better idea, then we just go with that. It's a meritocracy. And, so, that's kind of how we tend to do it. >> Allison Lovera: I think there is also something. We received a compliment from someone, like, not long ago saying that we sound with a different flavor. And I think that different flavor in the ensemble comes from everybody's background. Like, I come from Venezuela, he lived in South Africa. We have someone from Cuba. We have, like, all our members are from different places or lived in different places in the U.S. And we put all those ideas into one pot in favor of the music, so I think that's also a thing that works for us as a group, I think. Yeah. >> Xavier Foley: Yeah, I think it also helps the fact that we're all friends and we all get along with each other. It makes it a little easier during the rehearsal process to, you know, not take someone's idea personally if they disagree with you and approach it that way. >> Allison Lovera: Yeah. Definitely. >> Oh. Yeah, this may sound like an odd question. I would say this morning, also, it was wonderful. Thank you. >> Allison Lovera: Thank you. >> Happy to be back. Do you think the fact that you're all young make -- I realize some of you might think you're not as young as some others are but from my point of view, you're all young. Do you think that makes a difference in the dynamic within the group? >> Allison Lovera: Well, in my opinion, well, we are -- we look very young, actually. But we do. We do look very young. But, however, like, all of us are around 26 up. I think the youngest one is actually Ruben, and Ruben is 24. He's the youngest one. The rest, we are -- I'm 28, 30-something, we go around there. But, yeah, I think in my experience because I have played with, like, a lot of orchestras in the past. It -- the age sometimes does affect the dynamic and the energy in the group. Because, you know, when you are surrounded with young people, like all these fresh ideas and all this energy and, like, everybody wants to, you know, we move and we smile and we sometimes even dance in the concert. And that doesn't happen frequently in ensembles where the people is a little older, I think. I mean, it's not -- I don't want to say it disrespectfully, but, yeah, I mean, it's just, I think it's a matter of energy and, like, you know, body endurance, I think. I don't know. >> Christopher Johnson: I went to go see the NSO play I believe Thursday, the day that we arrived. And that's one of the things that, like, scares me about joining an orchestra because one of the teachers that I studied with him at the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Institute years ago when I was a kid. And, like, of course, he sounds great, but he didn't look to excited up there. But the conductor, though, he's a rock star. And that conductor is a rock star. He goes off. But, yeah. And I think the age does make a difference. But it doesn't have to be, because not all of the older players in the NSO are just sitting like statues. The first violin section kind of moves around a little bit and a couple of the first stands of each section moves around a little bit. But, yeah, I definitely notice the age difference with this group here for sure. There's, like, a fire in the belly that -- and there's a thirst and there's a hunger that I get from playing with these guys that I don't get from other orchestras. You know, like, when I show up here, I have to be on my toes. When I play in other orchestras back home, I'm just kind of setting the standard for them in a way, you know, like, but yeah. >> Allison Lovera: I think also is a generational thing. Older generations, at least when we play in ensembles, there is this culture that to be part of one unit in an ensemble, you're not. You shouldn't move, you shouldn't be too showy. That's how, like, at least I have been called sometimes because I move a lot. So, to be part of an orchestra with older generations, there is this culture that you have to be very still, that you have to be very -- try to be part of the bigger group, you know? And, you know, this ensemble is more of, like, let's go with the flow and, like, let's go with the music. And, yes, we are part of one unit and we are, we sound like an orchestra but I think the energy for us is also very important and the way we look in the stage and the way we communicate with the audience in that sense. Giving energy to the audience visually as well. Caleb Vaughn-Jones: And I wouldn't be able to wear socks like this in a symphony orchestra. >> Who decides which pieces are you going to play? Who decides about the program? >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: Afa Dworkin, our president of the Sphinx Organization, she is the musical or our artistic director and she decides the program. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: We obviously, to add to that, we obviously have a long list of advisers if you were to look at the advisers. But ultimately, the decisions come down to Afa. Yeah, so. >> Kazem Abdullah: Well, yeah. One thing that I know is that there's been lots of [inaudible] sting soloists that have also had a long affiliation and relationship with Sphinx like Pam Frank. I actually judged a Sphinx Competition maybe ten years ago and she was also a judge with me and people are like [inaudible] so there's been lots of luminous soloists and people that really believe in the mission of the Sphinx Organization, which is to make sure that music is available, a chance to learn music with everyone is available. So, yeah. We have time for maybe for one more question. >> Well, [inaudible] this one. I'm curious about how many of the virtuosi compose. Because this morning they alluded to, you know, Javier is not the only composer. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Xavier. >> Do many of you also compose? >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Yes. So that's an interesting one. So, yeah. I compose and I also do production, so I -- for several years, I've been involved with videogame music production. And, so, I -- since I was in Africa, I was doing a lot of African music production for a videogame franchise called Civilization. And, so, that was everything from recording choirs and doing arrangements of very unique African instruments for large-scale productions. So almost everything ends up with an orchestra behind it. But the African music side of the production would start with me in Port Elizabeth and then it would just scale up from there. But, yeah. And this guy also. >> Clayton Penrose-Whitmore: And I also do production as well. I do mostly, like, pop music, R and B production. So, basically, like, I'm always just on my laptop making instrumentals. And then sometimes in the studio with different singers tracking and recording songs. >> Good question. >> Kazem Abdullah: Well, I'd like to thank all four of you for taking part in today's pre-concert talk. I think we're all looking forward to the concert. I am especially looking forward to the concert and hearing this wonderful program that you've created and rehearsed and I hope that if you see them someplace in the future, which I'm sure you will, and, yeah, you guys tour almost every year, that you'll come out and see a Sphinx Virtuosi performance somewhere near you. Thank you so much. >> Caleb Vaughn-Jones: Thank you.