Queens College Professors Mark Dover and Luis Perdomo were amongst the many musicians awarded at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles’s Crypto.com Arena last month.
Dover, an adjunct clarinet professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music (ACSM), received a Grammy for Best Classical Compendium for his work on “Passion For Bach and Coltrane” as a member of Imani Winds. Perdomo, an ACSM adjunct piano professor and QC alumnus, received a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album alongside his partner Miguel Zenón for their work “El Arte Del Bolero, Vol. 2.”
“It feels good,” said Perdomo, “I’m always on the same path trying to learn and trying to practice. I do have the Grammy but I try not to lose sight of the path that I’m on.”
Perdomo, an immigrant born and raised in Venezuela, has deep roots at QC.
After earning his bachelor’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music in 1997, Perdomo went on to earn his master’s degree from QC in 2000. It was while he was at QC that Perdomo studied under the legendary jazz pianist and ACSM professor Sir Roland Hanna.
“It was such an amazing experience to come here and get to study with someone like [Hanna]. He’s a legendary pianist,” said Perdomo. “He’s in a lot of recordings I’ve listened to.”
Dover, deeply grateful for the honor to win a Grammy, extended his gratitude on behalf of Queens College.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be honored by the Grammy that I share with my amazing colleagues,” said Dover. “The album Passion for Bach and Coltrane was a decade long labor of love and to see it get this recognition is incredibly rewarding. I’m grateful to all my amazing colleagues and students here at Queens College for their support in my endeavors.”
In addition to the two professors that won, one current faculty and one former faculty member were nominated.
“ACSM is very proud of our two Grammy Award winners Luis Perdomo and Mark Dover,” said Michael Lipsey, chair of the Aaron Copland School of Music. “We are also proud of two nominees – Darcy James Argue (faculty) and JoAnn Falletta (previous faculty and QC alum). ACSM congratulates these wonderful performers.”
Argue, an adjunct jazz professor at ACSM, received a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for his work on “Dynamic Maximum Tension” with his 18-piece ensemble Secret Society.
Falletta, received a Grammy nomination for Best Orchestral Performance for her work on “Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy” as the music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
According to the college, QC faculty and alumni have been nominated for or won over 100 Grammy Awards since 1980.
When asked if he had any advice to give to young musicians who would one day like to win a Grammy Award, Perdomo said:
“Don’t let anyone take you away from your path. You have your own path. You have a goal. Just keep working towards getting to that goal without comparing yourself to anybody else.”
