DENTON (UNT), Texas –Nominations for the 61st annual Recording Academy Grammy Awards were announced on Dec. 7. Once again, University of North Texas faculty and alumni are part of projects that have received nominations in seven categories.

Since the 1960s, UNT College of Music alumni, faculty and staff have worked on projects nominated for Grammy Awards as well as Grammy-winning projects. Our One O’Clock Lab Band students, composers and arrangers have garnered seven nominations of their own over the years.

College of Music alumni, faculty and staff collaborated in the following nominated projects:

• Mike Williams (trumpet) for “All About That Basie,” by The Count Basie Orchestra, nominated in the following category:
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Jeff Driskill (saxophone), Jack Wengrosky (trumpet), Derek Pyle (trombone) and Brian McKee (bassoon) for “American Dreamers:  Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom” by the John Daversa Big Band, nominated in the following category:
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Ben Kono (woodwinds) “All Can Work,” by the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, nominated in the following category:
  • Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
• Michael Mayes (baritone) for “Heggie: Great Scott,” by Jake Heggie, composer; Terrence McNally, librettist; performed by the Dallas Orchestra (including 11 UNT alumni and 6 UNT faculty) and Dallas Opera Chorus (including 18 UNT alumni); conducted by Patrick Summers nominated in the following category:
  • Best Contemporary classical Composition

UNT alumna Maren Morris, is up for five awards:

• Maren Morris for “The Middle,” nominated in the following categories:
  • Record of the Year
  • Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
• Maren Morris for “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters,” nominated in the following category:
  • Best Country Solo Performance
• Maren Morris for “Dear Hate,” nominated in the following categories:
  • Best Country Duo/Group Performance
  • Best Country Song

Grammy winners will be announced at the Feb. 10 awards ceremony in New York. In 2018, UNT alumni Edward Stephan and Frank Greene were part of projects that earned three Grammy Awards.