February 2020 (DETROIT, MI) Violinist Bella Hristova was invited to judge the 23rd annual Sphinx Competition held in the Detroit Orchestra Hall last February. Hristova was joined by judges Beverly Kane Baker, Lena Fankhauser, Pamela Frank, Charlotte Lee, Melissa Kraut, and Tito Muñoz in a competition designed to offer young Black and Latinx classical string players a chance to compete under the guidance of an internationally renowned panel of judges, and to perform with and receive mentorship from established professional musicians.

The Sphinx Competition is a national competition. Prizes range from $3,000 to the top $50,000 Robert Frederick Smith Prize. The Sphinx Competition is held every year in Detroit, Michigan. The Sphinx Organization is the social justice organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts.