Pianist Terrence Wilson Nominated for Grammy: 'Best Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra'

[Michael Daugherty Metropolis Symphony, Deus ex Machina; Terrence Wilson, pianist; Nashville Symphony; Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Naxos 8.559635 (2009)]

AfriClassical has frequently written about the pianist Terrence Wilson, including his performance of the Michael Daugherty piano concerto Deus Ex Machina. The Naxos CD including that performance has received 5 Grammy Nominations, including “Best Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra (Terrence Wilson, piano).”

Music.EINNews.com

“Michael Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony and Deus Ex Machina, with Giancarlo Guerrero conducting the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, led the way with nominations in five categories -- Best Classical Album, Best Orchestral Performance, Best Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra (Terrence Wilson, piano), Best Classical Composition (Deus Ex Machina) and Best Engineered Classical Album (Mark Donahue, John Hill and Dirk Sobotka).”

Detroit Free Press: 'Conductor John McLaughlin Williams is a man without an orchestra'

[Conductor John McLaughlin Williams usually keeps his 2007 Grammy tucked away; he was nominated for another one this year, but lost.]

Freep.com

BY MARK STRYKER • FREE PRESS MUSIC WRITER • February 10, 2009

“A conductor and recent local transplant was up for a Grammy Award on Sunday. It was Leonard Slatkin, the high-powered new music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, right? Wrong.

It was John McLaughlin Williams, a 51-year-old native of North Carolina, who lives in Livonia with his wife and daughter. Don't feel bad about not recognizing him. He's also unknown among the classical music elite -- in spite of recording 10 CDs, winning a Grammy in 2007 for a performance by French modernist Olivier Messiaen and earning ringing endorsements from producers, musicians and critics.”

“Williams studied violin at Boston University and the New England Conservatory, but spent nearly 20 years freelancing, working with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops and even soloing with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. He spent a season with the Houston Symphony and a season as concertmaster (first violinist) with the Virginia Symphony. But he finally realized that the only way he could play the music that most excited him would be if he could call the tune: He had to conduct. So he enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Music to study the craft. He launched his postgraduate career by conducting music by the pioneering 20th-Century African-American composer William Grant Still at a conference. A label owner heard Williams and recommended him to the Ledins -- who were producing the burgeoning American Classics series on the Naxos label. 'I was invited to pitch projects, and here's where “Baker's” came into play,' says Williams. 'I could look at what had been recorded and see the holes.' As traditional major labels curtailed activities in the late '90s, Naxos was making hay by releasing inexpensive CDs of fresh repertoire and keeping costs low by avoiding star performers. That's how Williams got paired with a Ukrainian orchestra and why, once he proved his mettle, he keeps getting called for recordings.”  [Full Post]

'Bloch/Lees Violin Concertos' Earns Maestro John McLaughlin Williams A Grammy Nomination

[Ernest Bloch and Benjamin Lees: Violin Concertos; Elmar Oliveira, violin; National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine; John McLaughlin Williams, conductor; Artek AR-0042-2 (2008)]

On May 21, 2008 AfriClassical posted “'Grade A' Review of 'Bloch and Lees: Violin Concertos', Conducted by John McLaughlin Williams”. Maestro Williams sends us this news, which earns him our hearty congratulations: “Hello Bill, Just wanted to let you know that I've received another Grammy nomination. It's for the Bloch/Lees Violin Concertos recording, with Elmar Oliveira. Look in Category 102 http://content.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx#30 Thanks. I still check your site every day. It's a terrific source. All best, JMW” The nomination reads: “Category 102 Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra) (Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor.)”

Since our prior post, this CD has been reviewed by Rob Barnett of MusicWeb-International.com:

“Right from track 1 – the first movement of the Ernest Bloch Concerto – it becomes apparent that these sessions were captured in a really resonant acoustic. It’s a deeply impressive hall conveyed through a warm yet unclouded and analytical sound-image. This suits well the hoarse primitive fanfares that launch the Bloch Concerto in what is a very likeable and strong performance. The conductor tells me that rather than attempt a martial sound in the beginning fanfare he thought he would try to make it sound more like a shofar: “for me it is more a call to worship or ritual than to arms”.  [Full Post]