- Based in Detroit, the Sphinx organization transforms lives through the power of diversity in the arts.

The Sphinx Virtuosi is a dynamic chamber orchestra that serves as the organization's flagship performing entity.

In this segment, the Sarasota Orchestra hosts as they pay a visit to Sarasota, Florida.

(orchestral music) - The Sphinx Virtuosi is an 18 member ensemble of musicians of color and Latinx.

And, they speak the language of today's composers.

(orchestral music) When the opportunity came along, we thought absolutely it made great sense for us to be a host presenter because of the wonderful tradition of the arts here in Sarasota.

- The Sphinx organization was founded in 1997 by Aaron Dworkin.

At the beginning it was just the Strings competition, the Sphinx competition.

- It was really the first to showcase African American and Latinx string players in this country.

It was always an opportunity for these musicians to be heard, to network, to be able to meet other musicians of color which is huge because in this industry you stand out.

- We were looking at the idea of foundings Sphinx and beginning this work in this field which didn't really exist.

It was, how can we bring about systemic impact?

- [Speaker] Some of the statistics that we've seen from the League of American orchestras have shown that there's 1.8 to 2.5% representation of black and Latinx musicians in American orchestras.

- I think that a lot of the ways music has been presented has turned it into a bit of a closed off sort of medium, when in fact the communicative power of the music is quite vast.

(orchestral music) - I don't think I realized how much I stood out until going to Sphinx because you're just kind of conditioned this is just how it is 9 times out of 10.

So to find that 1 time out of 10, where all of a sudden it's like, "Oh, you look like me.

That's great."

(orchestral music) - A performance by Sphinx virtuosi is not like any other orchestra performance.

There's for one, we are a self conducted string ensemble.

We use that word intentionally, self conducted, not unconducted, because each one of us is our own conductor.

It's a hyper democratic process, our rehearsals.

- Every single person shares something.

I never played in anything like that.

Like I was very shy in the beginning.

He said, "Shahi, what do you think about this?"

And I was like, "Really?

They really want you to listen to my opinion."

- Balancing 18 ideas and personal opinions can be tricky, but I think what's so amazingly unique about this group is that we do it.

It's peaceful.

It's respectful.

And in return, the performances we give, they're live.

And the audience I think really enjoys to see the way that we communicate on stage.

- [Speaker 2] When we get together at the beginning of our tours, there's no real like ice breakers.

When I perform with other groups, other orchestras, other places, you kind of have to like have small talk.

You talk about the weather.

You talk about traffic.

All that kind of boring stuff.

Here we drop all of that because we already know why we're here.

- It is truly a family.

I mean, you'll hear everybody say that like La Familia, but it's true.

We are the crazy family.

We are the Thanksgiving that gets out of control every night and it's just because it's constant laughter.

We love each other.

We take amazing care of each other and happens on stage and off.

- [Speaker 3] We feel like a represented in each other because we've had to climb over similar obstacles to be at the level that we're at.

- What makes a family is sharing good moments and bad moments.

All the struggle that each person had makes us stronger.

And when we share this struggles, we unified our strengths.

(orchestral music) - Well, music in Sarasota's been a long tradition here.

In fact, the Sarasota Orchestra is the oldest continuing orchestra in Florida.

I've been here at the orchestra 22 years so I've seen this evolution of the institution, the ability for us to serve a broader and larger demographic region.

It's really been fun to be part of a community where you're part of the growth and the evolution of the art scene.

And that's exactly what's happened here over the last several decades.

(violin plays) - It means a lot having this group come to our Sarasota community and bring their passion and their love for the music and their love for all people.

- That's really the key is really making sure that we bring organizations like this Sphinx organization to these communities so they can see what is possible.

- For me, I have a mission with music to encourage people from my country that they can pursue what they dream.

By Zoom, I teach students that are very far from the big cities.

And my goal in life, actually, is to do a similar organization in Brazil where I'm working.

- Our community is not just Detroit or Michigan.

We've embarked on this global mission that is the entire world that identifies with our goals.

So if the Sarasota Orchestra or whomever can identify that there are people who can be impacted by having a more global reach and effort in our goals of inclusion, then you shouldn't just stop at your town or your neighborhood.

You should be able to go all the way (upbeat orchestral music) (audience clapping) - [Speaker 4] To learn more, visit sphinxmusic.org.