March 14, 2021

Congratulations to Manhattan School of Music alumni mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, and baritone Matthew Worth on winning GRAMMY Awards during yesterday’s 63rd annual ceremony!

Bridges (BM ’09) and Worth (MM ’03, PS ’04) performed alongside Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, and UCLA Chamber Singers in Richard Danielpour’s The Passion of Yeshua, which won the “Best Choral Performance” category. The recording is available for purchase here.

Precollege alumna Isabel Leonard won the “Best Classical Compendium” category for her performance as the narrator in San Francisco Symphony’s From the Diary of Anne Frank, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. View the performance here.

JAZZ

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

• PACHAMAMA
  Regina Carter (MSM Faculty), soloist
• CELIA
  Gerald Clayton (BM ’05), soloist

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

• ON THE TENDER SPOT OF EVERY CALLOUSED MOMENT
  Ambrose Akinmusire (BM ’05)
• WAITING GAME
  Terri Lyne Carrington (HonDMA ’20, 2020–21 MSM Artist Scholar), And Social Science
• HAPPENING: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
  Gerald Clayton (BM ’05)

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

• SONGS YOU LIKE A LOT
  John Hollenbeck With Theo Bleckmann (’90 / MSM Faculty), Kate McGarry, Gary Versace And The Frankfurt Radio Big Band

MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

• FROZEN 2
  (Various Artists)
  [including Robert Lopez (Precollege ’93)]

Best Song Written For Visual Media

• INTO THE UNKNOWN [FROM FROZEN 2]
  Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez (Precollege ’93), songwriters (Idina Menzel & AURORA)

COMPOSING / ARRANGING

Best Instrumental Composition

• BE WATER II
  Christian Sands (BM ’11, MM ’14), composer (Christian Sands)
• STRATA
  Remy Le Boeuf (BM ’07, MM ’09), composer (Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly Of Shadows)
  [Featured performers: Anna Webber (MM ’10) & Eric Miller (BM ’12)]

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

• HONEYMOONERS
  Remy Le Boeuf (BM ’07, MM ’09), arranger (Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly Of Shadows)

CLASSICAL

Best Choral Performance

• WINNER: DANIELPOUR: THE PASSION OF YESHUA
  JoAnn Falletta, conductor; James K. Bass & Adam Luebke, chorus masters (James K. Bass, J’Nai Bridges (BM ’09), Timothy Fallon, Kenneth Overton, Hila Plitmann & Matthew Worth (MM’ 03, PS ’04); Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus & UCLA Chamber Singers)
• KASTALSKY: REQUIEM
  Leonard Slatkin (Trustee and HonDMA ’13), conductor; Charles Bruffy, Steven Fox & Benedict Sheehan, chorus masters (Joseph Charles Beutel & Anna Dennis; Orchestra Of St. Luke’s; Cathedral Choral Society, The Clarion Choir, Kansas City Chorale & The Saint Tikhon Choir)
• MORAVEC: SANCTUARY ROAD
  Kent Tritle (MSM Faculty), conductor (Joshua Blue, Raehann Bryce-Davis (MM ’12, PS ’13), Dashon Burton, Malcolm J. Merriweather (DMA ’15) & Laquita Mitchell (MM ’01, PS ’02); Oratorio Society Of New York Orchestra; Oratorio Society Of New York Chorus)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

• HEARNE, T.: PLACE
  Ted Hearne (BM ’04), Steven Bradshaw, Sophia Byrd, Josephine Lee (PS ’04), Isaiah Robinson, Sol Ruiz, Ayanna Woods & Place Orchestra

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

• ADÈS: CONCERTO FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA
  Kirill Gerstein (BM ’99, MM ’00); Thomas Adès, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

• AMERICAN COMPOSERS AT PLAY – WILLIAM BOLCOM, RICKY IAN GORDON, LORI LAITMAN, JOHN MUSTO
  Stephen Powell (Attacca Quartet, William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, John Musto (BM ’76, MM ’80), Charles Neidich (MSM Faculty) & Jason Vieaux)
• CLAIRIÈRES – SONGS BY LILI & NADIA BOULANGER
  Nicholas Phan; Myra Huang (MM ’01), accompanist

Best Classical Compendium

• WINNER: THOMAS, M.T.: FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK & MEDITATIONS ON RILKE
  Isabel Leonard (Precollege Alumna); Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Jack Vad, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

• HEARNE, T.: PLACE
  Ted Hearne (BM ’04), composer

Visit GRAMMY.com to see the full list of nominees in all categories. The awards will be broadcast on March 14, 2021 on CBS. Check your local listings for broadcast times.