President Obama's first nominee to the National Council on the Arts was Aaron Dworkin, founder and President of Sphinx Organization. Aaron, a consummate violinist, is a member of the National Arts Policy Committee, a MacArthur Fellow, and named one of Newsweek magazine's 15 People Who Make America Great.
He is a Royal Philharmonic Society Honorary Member, a recipient of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Lifetime Achievement Award and holds The Luise Vosgerchian Teaching Award at Harvard.
His mother is a White Irish Catholic; his father an African-American Jehovah's Witness. They were not married when he was born, and Aaron was given up for adoption at the age of two weeks. A kind and loving Jewish family adopted and raised him.
Thirty-two years later, he located his biological parents who had ultimately married, and they have a very close relationship.
Aaron describes himself as, "a Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Irish Catholic adoptee who plays the violin, writes poetry and creates artistic experiences."
Not surprisingly, in his lectures Aaron stresses diversity.
He, and his accomplished wife Afa, live in the Detroit area.
Here are books and CD's Aaron has authored.
Photograph copyright 2014 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.
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