University of South Carolina bassoon professor Michael Harley (pictured above on first row, second from right) and his ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, won Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 1) in Los Angeles.
Harley’s ensemble won for the collaborative piece "Land of Winter" by composer Donnacha Dennehy, which was also a nominee for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
“I am just incredibly lucky, both to be a part of a group like Alarm Will Sound and for our album to have somehow broken through all the noise to be recognized in this way,” says Harley, calling the honor a high point in the ensemble’s 25 years of commitment to each other and their music. “The opportunity to play the music of our time and to help bring the vision of artists and composers like Donnacha Dennehy to life is a gift.”
Also nominated for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance were guitar assistant professor Mak Grgić and colleague Mateusz Kowalski for "Slavic Sessions." It was Grgić’s fourth nomination and second since arriving at USC in 2022.
“The School of Music is both pleased and honored by Harley and Alarm Will Sound's win, their nomination in the Best Contemporary Classical Composition and by professor Mak Grgic’s nomination in the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance category as well,” says Tayloe Harding, dean of the USC School of Music.
The apex of artistry
“A Grammy win is a measure of unqualified excellence, cementing the legacy of Dr. Harley and Alarm Will Sound as a significant ensemble of world-renown,” Harding says in congratulating both on the honor. “It is a major achievement and recognition for one of our most distinguished faculty members and his superior work as a professor of music at Carolina.”
As with his Alarm Will Sound peers, Harley credits the spirited culture and talent around him at the USC School of Music.
“I’m grateful for the inspiration and support provided by my wonderful students, colleagues and Dean Harding,” Harley says, “and I want to especially congratulate USC guitar professor Mak Grgic, who was nominated for the fourth time this year — a real testament to his artistry.”
Harmonious honors
Previous Grammy nominees with USC connections include:
- Claire Bryant, assistant professor of cello
- Alumni Chaz Bundick (Toro y Moi), Andy Akiho and Amos Lee
- Grammy-winning Hootie and the Blowfish members Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber and Jim Sonefeld