The future of music, made here.

NEC Alumnus Kebra-Seyoun Charles ’20 Wins First Place in 25th Annual Sphinx Competition

February 4, 2022

NEC Alumnus Kebra-Seyoun Charles ’20 Wins First Place in 25th Annual Sphinx Competition

The double bassist took home the top Robert Frederick Smith Prize in the senior division of the Detroit-based competition.

Kebra-Seyoun Charles ‘20, a graduate of New England Conservatory in double bass performance, is the first place winner of the senior division and $50,000 Robert Frederick Smith Prize in the recent 2022 Sphinx Competition held in Detroit, Michigan. The competition highlights the talents of young Black and Latinx string players.

In addition to the prize winnings, as senior division laureate, Charles will be featured as a solo performer with major orchestras across the country.

You can watch the entire competition, including Kebra-Seyoun’s winning performance (which begins at 47:04), in the Sphinx Organization’s video above.

Congratulations to Kebra-Seyoun!

Learn more about the competition

recent news
David Bernat

July 24, 2024

Violinist David Bernat ’18 Joins Renowned Formosa Quartet

Read More
Holly Choe

July 24, 2024

NEC Alumna Holly Hyun Choe ’17 MM Awarded Dudamel Fellowship

Read More
Entrepreneurial Musicianship

July 23, 2024

New England Conservatory’s Entrepreneurial Musicianship Program: A Year in Review

Read More
  • David Bernat

    July 24, 2024

    Violinist David Bernat ’18 Joins Renowned Formosa Quartet

  • Holly Choe

    July 24, 2024

    NEC Alumna Holly Hyun Choe ’17 MM Awarded Dudamel Fellowship

  • Entrepreneurial Musicianship

    July 23, 2024

    New England Conservatory’s Entrepreneurial Musicianship Program: A Year in Review

  • Kronos Quartet

    July 19, 2024

    Violinist Gabriela Dìaz ’03, ’05 MM Joins World-Renowned Kronos Quartet; Two of Four Members are NEC Alumni

  • LA Opera Young Artists

    July 17, 2024

    Three NEC Alumni Named LA Opera Young Artists for the 2024-2025 Season

  • Dichterliebe

    July 15, 2024

    Expressing Vocal Lyricism with Strings: How Students in Ayano Ninomiya’s Studio Reimagined the Iconic Dichterliebe Song Cycle for Violin