The 66th annual Grammy Awards will always be a memorable one for violinist and UB Professor of Music, Melissa White. She, along with her colleagues in the Harlem Quartet and Imani Winds, won a Grammy for “Passion for Bach and Coltrane,” a work arranged and composed by incoming UB Professor of Music Jeffrey Scott.
“It all feels surreal and it’s just incredibly exciting. It’s an honor that my music moved people enough to want to nominate me for a Grammy, and then vote for our project to win,” White said of the win.
The Grammy win was for Best Classical Compendium. The recording is a collection of original arrangements and newly composed music tying together the work of legendary composer Johann Sebastian Bach and the mid-20th century Jazz great John Coltrane.
Eleven years ago, White and the Harlem Quartet won their first Grammy for “Mozart Goes Dancing.” Even though this is the second Grammy win for White, it was the first time she was able to join the festivities in-person.
“This was our first time attending any part of the Grammys and it was extremely inspiring to be surrounded by so many of the top artists in their field! This is also the first Grammy statue that I will receive with my name on it—so this win is extra special!”
White said the event was incredibly “fun and energetic,” and she hopes her experiences and recognitions might benefit students and other artists.
“On a professional level, winning two Grammys means that new doors may open, and new opportunities might become available for me to be able to share my art with even more people around the world. It also means that I might be able to open new doors for others, and offer opportunities for younger artists to grow themselves,” White said.
Grammy winning performers coming to UB
The Grammy winning performers involved in “Passion for Bach and Coltrane,” will be coming to Buffalo to perform in Slee Hall on April 25, 2025, and its composer, Jeff Scott, will join UB’s faculty in the fall, 2024.