LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Orchestra won their first Grammy award Sunday night!
"It's amazing. I've really heard from a lot of people. People have been so kind," Teddy Abrams, musical director and conductor, said in an interview with WHAS11. "It seems like folks back at home are really genuinely excited for the orchestra and excited for the city. This is such a big deal for all of us in Louisville."
The orchestra won Best Classical Instrumental Solo for the American Project alongside world-renowned pianist Yuja Wang and Abrams.
Abrams said the whole process has been a bit overwhelming, but it's such an amazing accolade and huge honor.
"When folks go and say, 'Everyone is amazing and could get the Grammy and deserves that recognition' it's true," Abrams said. "We're very fortunate, but right up until the moment I think we were psyching ourselves out just because you don't want to even think about it. I didn't have any speech prepared. If you prepare a speech then that's for sure the moment that you're not going to win, right? So it really was a bit of a shock."
Abrams accepted the award on behalf of The Louisville Orchestra and Wang.
He said it was an incredible experience to be surrounded by a stadium-worth of people who are making music or supporting the music at the "very highest level."
"I mean, seeing Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel -- is outrageous," Abrams said. "The event is really positive. It really is a celebration of music."
"The fact that this [award] let's us celebrate as a city and give Louisvillians something to be really proud of is important, too. We need that," Abrams continued. "We need those moments where we can say, 'We love our city. We love our cultural institutions.' The fact that the world is recognizing that is something that we already knew in Louisville. We already know that we have great art and great artists in our city. We already know that we have a tremendous orchestra. It's nice to celebrate the fact that the rest of the county, the rest of the world is seeing that so clearly now."
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards took place in Los Angeles on Feb. 4.
For more information on the Grammy Award-winning Louisville Orchestra's upcoming season, click here.
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