The New School News

December 2, 2020

Faculty and Alumni from The New School Earn Grammy Nominations in a Wide Variety of Categories

The show must go on, even in the midst of a global pandemic. While the Grammys will certainly look different when they are presented early next year, they will still be celebrating fresh, exciting music, some of which has been created despite the challenges of Covid-19.

As in years past, faculty and alumni from throughout the College of Performing Arts and The New School earned a wide variety of Grammy nominations from the Recording Academy, in categories ranging from Best Opera Recording to Best Jazz Vocal Album. Below are all of the nominees.

Grégoire Maret, BFA Jazz ’98 and faculty member at School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his album Americana with Romain Collin & Bill Frisell.

Robert Glasper, BFA Performance ’01, was nominated for Best R&B Song for “Better Than I Imagine,” and Best Progressive R&B Album for F*** Your Feelings.

Talia Billig, BFA Jazz ‘11 and BA Psychology ’11, and Becca Stevens, Jazz ‘07, were nominated for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals, for “Slow Burn.”

Arturo O’Farrill, Jazz faculty member, was nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for “Baby Jack” and for Best Latin Jazz album for Four Questions.

Brad Mehldau, BFA Jazz ’93, was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for RoundAgain with Christian Mcbride, Joshua Redman, and Brian Blade.

Thana Alexa, BFA Jazz ‘10 and BA Psychology ’10, was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Ona which also garnered a nomination for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for Regina Carter’s performance on Alexa’s composition “Pachamama.”

JoAnn Falletta, BM Performance ‘76, was nominated for Best Choral Performance for conducting Danielpour: The Passion of Yeshuah.

Lauren Patten, BA Creative Writing ’18, was nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for “Jagged Little Pill.”

Matt Haimovitz, Mannes faculty, was nominated for Best Classical Compendium for his performance on Woolf, L.P.: Fire and Flood.

Stephen Powell, Mannes faculty, was nominated for Best Opera Recording as one of the soloists on Dello Joio: The Trial at Rouen.

Powell was also nominated for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album for American Composers at Play: William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Latiman, John Musto. Mannes faculty member Charles Neidich was nominated for the same album, as was Ricky Ian Gordon, a Mannes Prep alum.

James Blachly, MM Music ‘06, was nominated for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album as the conductor for Smyth: The Prison.

Burt Bacharach, UDPL Music ’50, was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Blue Umbrella.

Marcus Baylor, BFA Jazz and Contemporary Music ’99, was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance for Sit On Down.