Eastman School of Music Alumni & Faculty Receive Nominations in the 68th GRAMMY Awards

Lauren Sageer| Associate Director of PR and Digital Content

November 7, 2025

Several graduates of the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, along with faculty members Sara Gazarek, associate professor of jazz voice, and Paul O’Dette, professor of lute, have received nominations for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.’s 68th GRAMMY Awards.

Please note this list is subject to change as we receive updated information. If you or someone you know from the Eastman community received a GRAMMY nomination, or contributed to a nominated project, please email alumninews@esm.rochester.edu.

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

Schubert Beatles | Theo Hoffman with Julia Bullock ’09E, soprano
Telemann: Ino – Opera Arias for Soprano | Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra with conductor Paul O’Dette, professor of lute
ALIKE – My Mother’s Dream | Allison Charney, soprano; featuring soloist Kelly Hall-Tompkins ’93E, violin

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

Big Fish | Nate Smith & säje including vocalist and arranger Sara Gazarek, associate professor of jazz voice

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

Coleridge-Taylor: 3 Selections from 24 Negro Melodies | National Philharmonic (members listed below) featuring soloist Curtis Stewart ’08E, ’08, violin

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

Standard Stoppages | Third Coast Percussion including current DMA student Sean Connors ’04E
Dennehy: Land Of Winter | Alarm Will Sound including Alan Pierson ’06E (DMA), artistic director and conductor; Gavin Chuck ’96E (MA), ’04E (PhD), executive director; Peter Ferry ’13E, assistant director of artistic planning; Michael Clayville ’00E, trombone; Elisabeth Stimpert ’99E (MM), ’01E (MM), clarinet; Bill Kalinkos ’03E, clarinet; Courtney Orlando ’01E (MM), ’03E (DMA), violin; Christa Robinson ’00E, oboe; Michael Harley ’11E (DMA), bassoon; John Orfe ’99E, ’99, piano; Stefan Freund ’99E (MM), ’02E (DMA), cello; Miles Brown ’00E, ’12E (DMA), bass
Slavic Sessions | Co-produced by David Veslocki ’05E

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Okpebholo: Songs In Flight | Featuring a performance by Paul Sánchez ’09E (MM), ’13E (DMA), piano
Dennehy: Land Of Winter | Featuring a performance by Alan Pierson ’06E (DMA), conductor, and Alarm Will Sound (members listed above)

Best Engineered Album, Classical

Standard Stoppages | Third Coast Percussion including current DMA student Sean Connors ’04E, mastering engineer

Best Opera Recording

Kouyoumdjian: Adoration | Including Alan Pierson ’06E (DMA), conductor, and Karim Sulayman ’98E, tenor
Heggie: Intelligence (world premiere recording) | Libretto by Gene Scheer ’81E, ’82E (MM)

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Orchestrator Emulator | The 8-Bit Big Band including Jared Schonig ’05E, drums
Basie Rocks! | Deborah Silver & The Count Basie Orchestra including Isrea Butler ’04E, ’06E (MM), trombone; Shawn Edmonds ’87E, trumpet; Dave Glasser ’84E, ’86E (MM), saxophone

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Super Mario Praise Break | Performed by The 8-Bit Big Band including Jared Schonig ’05E, drums

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Lady Gaga: Harlequin | Including Isrea Butler ’04E, ’06E (MM), trombone

Best Orchestral Performance

Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L’Ouverture; Ballade Op. 4; Suites from 24 Negro Melodies | National Philharmonic including Carolyn Alvarez-Agria ’90E, clarinet; Richard Basehore ’98E, oboe; Kenneth Bell ’77E, horn; Claudia Chudacoff ’85E, ’87E (MM), violin; Chris Gekker ’76E, trumpet; Erich Heckscher ’94E, bassoon; Kenneth Law ’89E, cello; Thomas Maloy ’89E, timpani; Matt Richardson ’07E, violin; David Sciannella ’82E (MM), trombone; Julius Wirth ’85E, viola; Lauren Yu ’11E, ’11, bassoon; featuring soloist Curtis Stewart ’08E, ’08, violin
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie | Boston Symphony Orchestra including Christine Lee ’15E (MM), cello; Thomas Martin ’83E, clarinet
Still & Bonds: Symphonies and Variations | The Philadelphia Orchestra including Paul Arnold ’78E, violin; Willa Finck ’18E, violin; Michael Franz ’14E, bass
Stravinsky: Symphony In Three Movements | San Francisco Symphony including Jeff Biancalana ’90E, trumpet; John Chisholm ’89E, ’91E (MM), violin; Stephen Paulson ’68E, bassoon; Catherine Van Hoesen ’80E (MM), violin; Paul Welcomer ’83E, trombone

See the full list of GRAMMY Nominees here.

As the world’s leading society of music professionals, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. is dedicated to celebrating, honoring, and sustaining music’s past, present, and future. Winners of the Recording Academy’s 68th GRAMMY Awards will be announced on Sunday, February 1, 2026. Watch the broadcast live on CBS or stream on Paramount+.

Media only: Lauren Sageer, Associate Director of Public Relations & Digital Content,
(585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu

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About Eastman School of Music:

The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. It was the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training.

More than 900 students are enrolled in the Collegiate Division of the Eastman School of Music—about 500 undergraduates and 400 graduate students. They come from almost every state, and approximately 23 percent are from other countries. They are taught by a faculty comprising more than 170 highly regarded performers, composers, conductors, scholars and educators. They are Pulitzer Prize winners, GRAMMY winners, Emmy winners, Guggenheim fellows, ASCAP Award recipients, published authors, recording artists and acclaimed musicians who have performed in the world’s greatest concert halls. Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members and guest artists present more than 900 concerts to the Rochester community. Additionally, more than 1,700 members of the Rochester community, from young children through senior citizens, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.

About the University of Rochester:

The University of Rochester is one of the nation’s leading private research universities, one of only 62-member institutions in the Association of American Universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives undergraduates exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by the Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.