Jacobs faculty, alumni nominated for Grammy Awards

IU Jacobs School of Music alumni and faculty have participated on various works on the nominee list for the annual Grammy Awards.

The Grammy Awards show will be presented live on Feb. 13, 2011 on CBS.

These Jacobs alumni and faculty include Michael Spiro, Leonard Slatkin, Jamie Barton and Kinga Ferguson, Vivica Genaux, John Clayton, Todd Coolman, and Randy Brecker.

MICHAEL SPIRO

Up for the Best Latin Jazz Album is Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet’s ¡Bien Bien! CD, which faculty member Michael Spiro is a member of. Spiro provides percussion and vocals for the quintet.

LEONARD SLATKIN

The faculty conductor leads the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on Rachmaninov: Symphony No.2,which was produced by Blanton Alspaugh. Alspaugh has been nominated for Producer of the Year, Classical.

JAMIE BARTON AND KINGA FERGUSON

Alumna Jamie Barton is on Ars Lyrica Houston’s world premiere recording of J.A. Hasse’s marc Antonio e Cleopatra, which is nominated for Best Opera Recording. Ars Lyrica is led by alumna Kinga Ferguson.

“The Grammy nomination is just such a huge, happy surprise,” Barton said in a press release. “We are thrilled that the people with the Grammys took notice of such an unknown work with such a small company. While we feel that we are certainly the underdogs in our category, we also very much believe in the quality of artistry in this recording. I certainly have high hopes.”

VIVICA GENAUX

The alumna is nominated for Best Classical Vocal Performance for Pyrotechnics: Vivaldi Opera Arias.

JOHN CLAYTON

The New Song and Dance recording by bassist, composer and conductor John Clayton and his brothers’ will compete for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

TODD COOLMAN

Jazz alumni plays bass on James Moody’s Moody 4B release, also up for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

RANDY BRECKER

Alumni plays trumpet on Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard, vying for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

— Vanessa Valentin