Cellist Sterling Elliott Wins 2019 Sphinx Competition

February 2, 2019, 8:23 PM · Congratulations to cellist Sterling Elliott, who has won First Place in the Senior Division of the 2019 Sphinx Competition!

The Sphinx Competition is open to all junior high, high school, and college-age Black and Latino string players residing in the United States. Jury members for 2019 were Jenny Bilfield, Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Patrice Jackson, Ani Kavafian, Edicson Ruiz, Steven Tenenbom and Jeff Zeigler.

Winners were announced Saturday after the Finals Concert, which took place in Detroit's Orchestra Hall with Senior Division finalists performing with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra. Click here to view the Finals Concert.

Here are the lists of the laureates:

SENIOR DIVISION LAUREATES (Age 18-30):

First Place ($50,000): Sterling Elliott, 19, cello
The Juilliard School
Teacher: Joel Krosnick
Second Place ($20,000): Ade Williams, 21, violin
Curtis Institute of Music
Teacher: Ida Kavafian
Third Place ($10,000): Caleb Georges, 26, viola
University of Michigan
Teacher: Caroline Coade
Fourth Place ($5,000): Laura Andrade, 24, cello
Teacher: Natasha Brofsky
Audience Choice ($5,000): Sterling Elliott, 19, cello
The Juilliard School
Teacher: Joel Krosnick

Sphinx Competition 2019 Senior Division Finalists.

On Friday Junior Division winners were announced, after an Honors Concert given at Orchestra Hall in Detroit. They are:

JUNIOR DIVISION LAUREATES (Age 17 and under):

First place ($10,000): Nygel Witherspoon, 17, cello
Minnesota Connections Academy
Teacher: Tanya Remenikova
Second place ($5,000): Sophia Ayer, 16, violin
McCallum High School
Teacher: Dr. Pasha Sabouri
Third place ($3,000): Maxwell Remmer, 16, cello
Teacher: David Geber