While he was immediately met with skepticism from his violin teacher and the dean of the University of Michigan School of Music, his passion about the endeavor won them over.

Since the start of the first annual competition, Sphinx has also begun a number of other programs to help the growth of minority involvement in classical music.

The Sphinx Competition give Black and Latino classical string players a chance to compete, work with an internationally renowned panel of judges and to perform with professional musicians.

Many of the past laureates have gone on to either study at very prestigious schools or began careers in solo or orchestra playing.

[7] Notable judges include Anthony Elliot, Sanford Allen, Atar Arad, Paul Katz, and Kim Kashkashian.

[10] The Sphinx Preparatory Institute is a program offering Saturday classes to Detroit students in music history, theory, and instrumental performance.

It serves string, woodwind, brass, percussion, and piano instrumentalists, ages 11–18 and is designed to address the needs of students in pursuit of music studies at beginning and intermediate levels who lack access to adequate training.

Its annual SphinxConnect conference in Detroit, focused on diversity and inclusion in the arts, launched in 2017 and now attracts nearly a thousand attendees per year, including musicians; administrators; conductors; composers; funders; artist representatives; and students and parents.

The 2020 conference included the announcement of the first Sphinx Venture Fund grants, part of a $1.5 million investment to transform the future of cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts.