Community Arts Music Association (CAMA) of Santa Barbara will conclude its 2025-26 Masterseries with a performance by the Sphinx Virtuosi, 7:30 p.m. March 12 at the Lobero Theatre.
The self-conducted 18-piece chamber orchestra is dedicated to showcasing the talents of accomplished Black and Latinx string musicians. The concert will also feature an appearance by virtuoso violinist Randall Goosby.
The day after the Lobero performance Sphinx Virtuosi will be in residence at the Music Academy of the West.
Titled Visions of Peace, the program will offer a blend of musical voices, including 19th century Afro-Cuban composer and violin standout José White Lafitte (“La Bella Cubana”); contemporary composers Clarice Assad (selections from “Impressions”); Jesse Montgomery (“Chemiluminescence”); and Quenton Blache (“Visions of Peace”), and Prokofiev (Piano Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83, “Stalingrad”).
The latter work will feature an arrangement by Venezuelan violinist Rubén Rengel commissioned by the Sphinx Virtuosi. Goosby will be the featured soloist in his own arrangement of William Grant Still’s “Suite for Violin or Cello and String Orchestra.”
“We are excited to welcome back this magnificent ensemble,” said CAMA CEO Elizabeth Alvarez.
“The Sphinx Virtuosi delivered a singularly exhilarating performance when CAMA last presented them in 2024, and we expect more of the same on March 12,” she said. “Complementing its world-class musicianship, this orchestra has a penchant for programming that is wholly unique, combining forgotten treasures with repertoire staples and contemporary works.”
The March 12 performance will feature four compositions commissioned by Sphinx.
“Randall Goosby’s dazzling virtuosity promises to be icing on the cake,” organizers said.
A former student of Itzhak Perlman, Goosby was signed exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at age 24. “Roots,” Goosby’s critically acclaimed debut album for Decca, is a celebration of African-American music that explores its evolution from spirituals to present-day compositions.
Released in spring 2023, his debut concerto album features performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra of works by Max Bruch and Florence Price.
Current season highlights include debut performances with the Atlanta Symphony, Orchestre National de France, and the San Diego Symphony, as well as return engagements with the San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and New Jersey Symphony.
Founded in 2004, the Sphinx Virtuosi serves as the flagship performing entity of the Sphinx Organization, the leading social justice nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives through the arts.
The ensemble aims to transform classical music through artistic excellence, pioneering programming, and impassioned community engagement.
Heralded for its varied repertoire and bold thematic programming, the Sphinx Virtuosi champions the work of historically excluded composers and commissions new works annually.
The ensemble has collaborated with major artists such as Terence Blanchard, Denyce Graves, Damien Sneed, Will Liverman, and Davóne Tines.
Members have performed as soloists with major U.S. orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and the Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle and Pittsburgh symphony orchestras.
Single ticket prices to the concert start at $48. Tickets available at the Lobero Theatre Box Office, 805-963‑0761 or online at https://checkout.lobero.com/20709.
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