DSO nominated for Latin GrammyFirs.commerciallyreleased recording

By IRA PORTER and BETSY PRICEThe News Journal '

News Journal file/GINGER WALLDSO conductor David Amado calledthe nomination "amazing,"

utive director of the DSO. "I feelextremely good about ourchances of bringing the Grammyhome to the state of Delaware. Itbelongs to all of us."

Williams said financial

strains that orchestras acrossthe nation are experiencing havemade recording difficult, but thegenerosity of benefactors Ta-tiana and Gerrett Copeland, whopaid for the recording, made thispossible. Williams said a processthat normally takes two years tocomplete was done in six monthsand it was' because of everyonebeing on board, from the benefac-tors to the recording label, TelarcInternational.

"How incredibly proud I amthat this orchestra managed todo this," Williams said. "Youhave to play well to get aGrammy nomination and theysure did. We're going to go andpick that thing up in November."

The Latin Grammys will beawarded on Nov. 11 at the Mail-dalay Bay in Las Vegas, andbroadcast live by Univision.

The 55-minute album featuresthe world premiere recording ofa new concerto by Brazilian gui-tar master and composer SergioAssad. The Los Angeles Guitar

\ See GRAMMY B2

. I

The Delaware Symphony Or-chestra's first commercially re-leased recording in its 104-yearhistory has turned out to be a big-time hit - garnering a nomina-tion Wednesday for a Latin

~ Grammyaward.The album, titled "Inter-

change: Concertos by Rodrigoand Assad," was recorded at TheGrand in May 2009 with the LosAngeles Guitar Quartet. It wasone offour albums nominated inthe best classical contemporarycomposition category when theLatin Grammy fmalists were an-nounced Wednesday at Holly-wood's Avalon nightclub.

"When we put this recordingin, I had the gut feeling it wasgoing to be a winner," said an ex-uberant.Lucinda Williams, exec-

-",

---~--.-------- ..

Orammyi Twodays to record

. FROM PAGE B1Quartet had never before recorded an album withan orchestra, although it has a dozen previous al- ,bums. . . . . 11

The LAGQ was formed in 1980at the Universityof Southern California and won a Grammy Award!for best classical crossover album in 2005.It is made Iup of William Kanengiser, John Dearman, Scott ITennant and Matthew Greif. , I

The composer, Assad, is half of the guitar duo the '\Assad Brothers, who have performed With world- ~class artists. Assad, who also has worked with LAGQ Ifor years,tailored "Interchange" for the quartet. . ,

"This is amazing," said David Amado, the DSO'smusic director and conductor. Amado said workingon the project took much time and space, but it was'rewarding. , '

"Every corner has been satisfying in wonderful I

ways. We didn't know what it was going to soundlike. It was a brand-new piece. Recording was asuper intense experience, and then we got all thesegreat reviews and now this!" he said.. The recording was made under consider.able

pressure, as the performers had only two days torecord,' given the strict union. timeIimits, Onevenings 'before the two recording sessions, the,

.band arid orchestra performed the concertos infront of an audience. '

Amado said he was most proud .of the fact thatlocal talent has boosted Delaware into the interna-tional spotlight."

"For me, I'm super-excited about what thismeans for. the Delaware Symphony and what this'means for the state of Delaware. We are named forthe state, not just those of us at the Grand OperaHouse. It's a great tribute to what we can accom-plish." ,

When word came in Wednesday, Williams,Amado and the DSO staff went to Chelsea 'Tavern,across Market Street from the symphony' offices inthe Grandin Wilmington, to celebrate.

"We're riding high right now," Williams said,noting that the nomination alone is likely to lead tomore recordings. She said she had just talked tomembers of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet aboutpossible international tours.

"We're just going to ride this wave," she said. "Togo right out of the gate with an-internationalGrammy nomination is unprecedented." •

Latin Recording Academy President GabrielAbaroa Jr. said the 11th annual awards competitionhad the most submissioris ever. .

Overall, the. nominations were spreadbetween Iestablished artists and newcomers, nominatingsongwriters Juan Luis Guerra and Alejandro Sanzin four categories each. ,-

The nominations spanned the Latin Recording.Academy's multitude of genres from 'across Spainarid the Americas, with three nods each to Camila,reggaeton star Daddy Yankee and Uruguay's alt-rockers, EI Cuarteto de Nos:

The nominators also recognized new talentsJorge Drexler, an Uruguayan songwriter, and'Mario Domm, lead singer of the 'Mexican bane!Camila, who were also nominated four times.

The rest of the Sanz's "Paraiso Express" was nom-mated for Album of the Year and his "Desde Cuando" .got the nod for Song of the Year, garneringtirree nom-inations for producer Tommy 'I'orres, Lee 'Levin andDan Warner also totaled three nominations for theirwork with Sanz and Diego Torres' "Distinto." 'Materialfrom the Assodaied Press was used in this story, Contaa IraPorter at 324-2890 or iporter@delawareonline.com

,J