Composition Faculty Garners GRAMMY Nomination

December 20, 2017 - MSU Composition

Composer Zhou Tian of the Michigan State University College of Music says he set out to write a love letter to a symphony orchestra when he was commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). The resulting “Concerto for Orchestra” penned by the associate professor of composition captured the attention of the Recording Academy and placed Zhou in the running for a GRAMMY in January 2018.

In late November, Zhou heard his work had been nominated to receive the premier recording industry award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Zhou's composition was one of three commissioned works on the 2016 CSO album “Concertos for Orchestras”—which also grabbed a GRAMMY nomination in the Best Orchestral Performance under the direction of CSO Conductor and Music Director Louis Langrée.

Listen to excerpts and the full work for “Concerto for Orchestra” on Zhou Tian’s website

Zhou Tian takes a moment to talk about his work “Concerto for Orchestra” with CSO Music Director and Conductor Louis Langrée. Photo by M Berneking, courtesy CSO.
After the concert premiere, Zhou Tian poses for a photo with Louis Langrée. Photo by M Berneking, courtesy CSO.