Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall

About the Program Visions of Peace

In a unique convergence of musical voices, this program beckons us into a realm where music becomes an emissary of peace and unity. On this journey, we hope to lift every voice and remember our complex history while looking toward our shared journey toward a brighter tomorrow. We explore peace while remembering the conflict of past and present, and recognizing the repeated history and the resilience of the human spirit. From William Grant Still, celebrated as the “Dean of African American Composers,” to Jose White's stirring Cuban melodies, every note resonates with our collective aspirations for harmony and understanding without borders. This is a collection of new voices, those that have already shaped our canon and those that we hope will continue to be celebrated long after our time together. As Alberto Ginastera's Concerto for Strings takes us toward a triumphant crescendo, you will join us in a jubilant celebration of the human spirit's indomitable resilience and our unwavering commitment to the pursuit of peace. We reflect on themes of war, anguish, and loss through Ruben Rengel's setting of Prokofiev's "Stalingrad" Sonata, while our vision for shared humanity is brought together through Quenton Blache's title composition.   

CLARICE ASSAD 
Selections from Impressions
IV. Precision, Perpetual Motion

JOSÉ WHITE LAFITTE
La Bella Cubana

SERGEI PROKOFIEV
Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83 “Stalingrad”
(Arr. for String Orchestra by Rubén Rengel)(Commissioned by the Sphinx Organization)

QUENTON XAVIER BLACHE
Visions of Peace
(Co-commissioned by the Sphinx Organization, Carnegie Hall, and New World Symphony)

WILLIAM GRANT STILL 
Suite for Violin and Orchestra
(arr. for solo cello by Randall Goosby)(Commissioned with a gift from the Keith and Renata Ward Emerging Composer Fund; co-commissioned by the Sphinx Organization and New World Symphony) Sterling Elliott, Cello

ALBERTO GINASTERA 
Concerto for Strings, Op. 33
IV. Finale