Speakers

Each year, SphinxConnect welcomes 90+ luminaries and trailblazers from across the classical music industry to lead conversations related to everything from programming to fundraising; all through the lens of excellence and representation in the arts.

Speakers will be invited throughout the summer and fall, so we encourage you to visit this page often for updates.

2026 Plenary Guests

Imani Winds

GRAMMY® Award-winning American Wind Quintet

Aaron P. Dworkin
Poetjournalist & Founder of The Sphinx Organization
Professor of Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship | University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance

2026 Speakers

  • Hassan A. Anderson

    Hassan A. Anderson

    Teaching Artist, Assistant Professor of Oboe and Coordinator of Teaching Artistry
    The University of South Carolina

  • Roberto Arruda

    Roberto Arruda

    Director, International Student Services and Study Abroad
    Berklee College of Music

  • Melay Tadesse Araya

    Melay Tadesse Araya

    Artistic Director
    The Town Hall

  • Kedrick Armstrong

    Kedrick Armstrong

    Music Director & Conductor
    Oakland Symphony

  • Afton Battle

    Afton Battle

    Founder | Principal BGM Consulting
    BGM Consulting

  • J'Nai Bridges

    J'Nai Bridges

    International Opera Singer

  • Brittney Bryanna Burgess

    Brittney Bryanna Burgess

    Co-Founder and Executive Director
    Black Collegiate Musicians

  • Claudia Chapa

    Claudia Chapa

    Associate Director of Artistic Administration and Curator of Hispanic and Latinx Programming
    Austin Opera

  • Dr. Leah Claiborne

    Dr. Leah Claiborne

    Pianist | Scholar | Founder
    Ebony Music Inc.

  • Ria DasGupta

    Ria DasGupta

    Associate Vice President for Community and Culture
    The Juilliard School

  • Jaman E. Dunn-Danger

    Jaman E. Dunn-Danger

    Assistant Professor of Practice
    SUNY University at Buffalo

  • Zoe Donovan

    Zoe Donovan

    Humanities Coordinator
    Theatre for a New Audience

  • Dr. Raynel Frazier

    Dr. Raynel Frazier

    Director of Programming and Artistic Planning
    Jazz at Lincoln Center

  • Dr. José Fernando Flórez

    Dr. José Fernando Flórez

    Director of the PhD in Political Studies at the Externado University of Colombia
    Externado University of Colombia

  • Brianna Garcon

    Brianna Garcon

    Program Coordinator | National Community Partnerships
    John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

  • Kathleen Gasparian

    Kathleen Gasparian

    Immigration Attorney
    Gasparian Spivey Immigration

  • Anthony Gray-Bolden

    Anthony Gray-Bolden

    Dean
    Cab Calloway School of the Arts

  • Tayloe Harding

    Tayloe Harding

    Dean
    University of South Carolina School of Music

  • Jonathan Bailey Holland

    Jonathan Bailey Holland

    Dean
    Bienen School of Music - Northwestern University

  • Dr. Zuly Inirio

    Dr. Zuly Inirio

    Founder and Executive Director
    Afro-Latinx Song & Opera Project

  • Blake-Anthony Johnson

    Blake-Anthony Johnson

    CEO
    New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation

  • Noa Kageyama

    Noa Kageyama

    Performance Psychologist
    The Juilliard School | Cleveland Institute of Music

  • Deidre Lambert-Bounds

    Deidre Lambert-Bounds

    President
    Ignite Social Media

  • Alysia Lee

    Alysia Lee

    Founder
    Sister Cities Girlchoir

  • Tifini McClyde-Blythe

    Tifini McClyde-Blythe

    Associate Vive President of Human Resources
    Interlochen Center for the Arts

  • Ruben McFarlane

    Ruben McFarlane

    Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships
    Castle of Our Skins

  • Kristina Newman-Scott

    Kristina Newman-Scott

    VP/Arts
    Knight Foundation

  • Heather Noonan

    Heather Noonan

    Vice President for Advocacy
    League of American Orchestras

  • Marcus Norris

    Marcus Norris

    Composer, Artistic Director
    South Side Symphony

  • David A. Norville

    David A. Norville

    Oboist & Executive Director
    Focus On Your Art

  • Shawn Okpebholo

    Shawn Okpebholo

    Jonathan Blanchard Professor of Composition
    Wheaton College - Conservatory of Music

  • Kerriann Otaño

    Kerriann Otaño

    Vice President of Engagement
    OperaDelaware

  • Alexis V. Prescott-Polk, M.A.

    Alexis V. Prescott-Polk, M.A.

    Director of Operations & Advancement
    Black Collegiate Musicians (BCM)

  • Lígia Pucci

    Lígia Pucci

    Associate Artistic Director
    Windy City Performing Arts

  • Andrea Restrepo

    Andrea Restrepo

    Orchestra and Operations Manager
    ESYO

  • DJ King Rico

    DJ King Rico

    Composer

  • Adrian O. Rodríguez, Ed.D.

    Adrian O. Rodríguez, Ed.D.

    Director of Community Engagement
    The Juilliard School

  • Lesley Rosenthal

    Lesley Rosenthal

    COO & Corp. Secretary
    The Juilliard School

  • Hannah Ross

    Hannah Ross

    Assistant Director for Community Engagement
    Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School

  • Jamal Rossi

    Jamal Rossi

    Joan and Martin Messinger Dean Emeritus
    Eastman School of Music

  • Dr. Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)

    Dr. Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)

    Arizona State University/SOZO Artists

  • Patty Isacson Sabee

    Patty Isacson Sabee

    President and CEO
    Detroit Opera

  • Martin Sher

    Martin Sher

    Chief Artistic and Operating Officer
    Detroit Symphony Orchestra

  • Alexa Smith

    Alexa Smith

    Associate Artistic Director
    The Public Theater

  • Melissa Wegner

    Melissa Wegner

    Executive Director, Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and Laffont Competition
    The Metropolitan Opera

  • Eric Williamson

    Eric Williamson

    Artistic Director
    Lavender Light: The Black & People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir

  • Elizabeth Winslow

    Elizabeth Winslow

    Director of School Partnerships
    MacPhail Center for Music

  • Simon Woods

    Simon Woods

    President & CEO
    League of American Orchestras