The highest honour of the Sphinx Organization comes with a $50,000 career grant
The Sphinx Organization has announced the recipients of its Medals of Excellence for 2025. Awarded annually, the medals recognise leaders in the classical music field who are transforming lives within Black and Latino communities.
Violinist and composer Curtis Stewart has been named as one of the medal recipients, as well as soprano Gabriella Reyes and pianist Clayton Stephenson. The artists will be honoured on 2 April 2025.
Each medal comes with a $50,000 career grant. The recipients are recognised for artistic excellence, work ethic, determination and ongoing commitment to leadership and their communities.
Stewart is a four-time Grammy nominee and serves as Sphinx Virtuosi’s 2024-25 composer in residence. His world premiere Drill, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and New World Symphony, will be featured on Sphinx Virtuosi’s upcoming US tour.
In addition to his career as a violinist and composer, Stewart is artistic director of the American Composers Orchestra and teaches at the Juilliard School and the Perlman Music Program. He is a member of PUBLIQuartet and The Mighty Third Rail. Stewart holds residencies at Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and serves as resident artist at Kaufman Music Center.
Previous string recipients from recent years include cellists Sterling Elliott and Tommy Mesa, violinist Randall Goosby and violinist/composer Jessie Montgomery.
Listen: The Strad Podcast #67: Curtis Stewart on Julia Perry’s Violin Concerto
Read: Postcard from Detroit: Sphinx Competition and SphinxConnect convention
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