The St. Louis Symphony was onstage Sunday afternoon when their Grammy win for Best Orchestral Performance was announced. Adam Crane, vice president for external affairs, and Erika Ebsworth-Goold, the symphony's publicist, told the performers about the win backstage.
“This is the equivalent to a World Series win for the orchestra," she said.
The award is one of the most important music awards for a classical ensemble. The symphony won for its recorded performance of John Adams’ City Noir, which was also nominated for Best Engineered Album in the Classical category. Among those also nominated were the Seattle Symphony, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The last time the St. Louis Symphony won a Grammy was in 1991. This award will be the group’s 7th Grammy win overall.
“The entire city of St. Louis should be proud,” said Ebsworth-Goold.
The publicist said the recording and its reception are a testament to the composer John Adams’ relationship to Musical Director David Robertson and the symphony as a whole.
The win will not affect the recently announced 2015-2016 performing season as the symphony’s schedule is organized years in advance. But as Crane previously stated when hoping for a win, “it’s the ultimate validation of a great recording.”
