The following is from the South Orange Maplewood School District:
Thirty students from South Orange Maplewood Schools traveled to New York City’s Carnegie Hall on October 20 to attend the 2016 Sphinx Virtuosi Concert, performed to a sold-out audience at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
This celebrated moment is just one of many that the dynamic ensemble has experienced over the course of the 9th National Tour. School’s represented were Columbia High School, Maplewood Middle School and South Orange Middle School.
The trip was coordinated and chaperoned by James A. Manno, Fine Arts Supervisor with additional chaperone support by Bonita Samuels, Principal of Marshall Elementary School and Raquel Horn, Assistant Principal Seth Boyden Elementary School.
The students and staff absolutely loved the super performances and virtuosity displayed by the Sphinx musicians. Here are some of the responses Mr. Manno received post concert:
“Hello Mr. Manno, My name is Matthew Henegan, I am a senior cellist at CHS, and this is what I thought of the Sphinx Concert: I absolutely loved every piece the Sphinx Virtuosi and Catalyst Quartet played. Carnegie Hall’s amazing acoustics allowed the musicians to play with a wide range of vibrato and dynamics, and they kept the music alive and interesting thanks to the energy with which they performed.”
“Hello Mr. Manno, I had an excellent time at the Sphinx Virtuosi concert, and I particularly enjoyed the Catalyst Quartet’s selections. This concert was my first experience at Carnegie Hall and I was blown away by the theatre’s acoustics and the players’ musicianship. There wasn’t a dull moment the whole concert and I’m happy I decided to go. Sincerely, James Cokorinos”
