More than a dozen artists performing this season at Symphony Center are among the nominees for the 60th annual Grammy Awards, announced Nov. 28 in 84 categories.
In addition, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 (CSO Resound), conducted by Riccardo Muti, was one of several releases cited in the nomination of David Frost in the category of producer of the year, classical. Composer Jennifer Higdon, whose Low Brass Concerto will receive its world premiere by the CSO in February, was nominated in the contemporary classical composition category for her Viola Concerto (performed by soloist Roberto Díaz and the Nashville Symphony, conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero). The complete recording, titled “All Things Majestic” and also including the Oboe Concerto with James Button, was nominated as best classical compendium.
The following artists, all performing at Symphony Center this season, received Grammy nominations:
Blind Boys of Alabama, Oct. 27: American roots performance, “Let My Mother Live.”
Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra, Nov. 8: opera recording, Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel (featuring vocal soloists Vladimir Feliauer, Aida Garifullina and Kira Loginova, and the Mariinsky Chorus).
Manfred Honeck, Jan. 25-27 and 30: orchestral performance, with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, for the album Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5/Barber: Adagio. The disc also is nominated in the category of best engineered album, classical.
John Beasley’s MONK’estra, Jan. 26: large jazz ensemble album, “MONK’estra Vol. 2”; also, best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella, “Ugly Beauty/Pannonica” (John Beasley, arranger).
Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra, Jan. 28: orchestral performance, Mahler: Symphony No. 5.
Chucho Valdés, Feb. 23: instrumental composition, “Three Revolutions” (written with Arturo O’Farrill). For his SCP Jazz date, Valdes appears with fellow pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba.
Bill Charlap Trio, March 9: jazz instrumental album, “Uptown, Downtown.”
Cécile McLorin Salvant, March 9: jazz vocal album, “Dreams and Daggers.”
Martha Argerich, March 18: chamber music/small ensemble performance, “Martha Argerich & Friends: Live From Lugano 2016.” For her SCP Chamber Music series concert, Argerich will perform with violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Nicholas Phan, March 22-24: classical solo vocal album, “Gods & Monsters” (with Myra Huang, accompanist). For his CSO dates, under Riccardo Muti, Phan will join guest vocalists Paul Appleby, Elizabeth DeShong, Nahuel di Pierro and Amanda Forsythe, and the Chicago Symphony Chorus in Schubert’s Mass in E-flat Major. DeShong also is one of the featured vocalists on the Chandos recording of Handel: Messiah, nominated for best choral performance, with Sir Andrew Davis (music director of Lyric Opera of Chicago) leading the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
Diego El Cigala, April 6: tropical Latin album, “Indestructible.”
John Williams, April 26-29: best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella, Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, from “Catch Me If You Can” (which the CSO performed last season, with Branford Marsalis as soloist).
Antonio Sánchez, May 18: contemporary instrumental album, “Bad Hombre.” For his SCP Jazz concert, Sanchez will perform with his group Migration.
In addition, jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Count Basie Orchestra, who appear on an SCP Jazz double bill June 1, are featured on the track “I Loves You Porgy/There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon for New York,” nominated for best arrangement, instruments and vocals (award to the arrangers).
The 60th annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be Jan. 28 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and will be telecast live on CBS. For a complete list of nominees, click here.