Grammys: CCM's connection to award-winning Time for Three album
Time for Three's Grammy-winning album features the Philhadelphia Orchestra led by alumna Xian Zhang
The 2023 Grammy Awards, recently broadcast on February 5, celebrated "music's biggest night" with all of the glitz and glamour that viewers have come to expect — from Beyoncé's historic 32nd Grammy win (marking the most of all time) to performances by Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith and more.
Xian Zhang. Photo/Provided
Among the star-studded attendees and award winners were artists who honed their skills at UC's College-Conservatory of Music. The award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo went to Time for Three and CCM alumna Xian Zhang (DMA Orchestral Conducting, att. ’98-01) for the "Letters for the Future" album; available online.
An innovative string trio, Time for Three is comprised of CCM Starling Prep alum Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals) and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals). Yang studied with Professor Kurt Sassmannshaus during his time at CCM. The trio's "Letters for the Future" album shares the world premiere recordings of Jennifer Higdon’s 2007 Concerto 4–3 and Kevin Puts’ Contact, featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra led by Zhang.
Zhang is the Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony and is also a frequent guest conductor of orchestras in the US, Europe and Asia. A recipient of the 2021 CCM Distinguished Alumni Award, Zhang studied at CCM with Professor Mark Gibson as she pursued her DMA in orchestral conducting.
Watch Time for Three's Grammy Award acceptance speech and learn more about the award-winning recording online. The album is available for streaming on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more. Learn more about the album.
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