It’s a great day at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Latin Grammy nominations were announced last week and included in the stellar list was one Frost School faculty member and four alumni (of which one is a current graduate student).
Julio Reyes Copello (MM ’00), a Frost graduate who worked with another Frost alumnus Carlos Fernando Lopez on the “No Vaya a Ser” album, received three Latin Grammy nominations:
- Record of the Year (Category 1): No Vaya a Ser – Record producer and recording engineer
- Album of the year (Category 2): Prometo – Album producer, recording engineer, and album mixer
- Producer of the Year (Category 47):
- Ciudad De Papel (Malú)
- El Valor De Seguir Adelante (Laura Pausini)
- Las Cuentas (Ana Mena)
- Porque Nadie Sabe (Fonseca Featuring Nahuel Pennisi)
- Prometo (Pablo Alborán)
- Saturno (Pablo Alborán)
- Un Canto Nuevo (Juan Antonio Cuéllar y Luis Torres Zuleta)
- Album of the Year (Category 2): Prometo – Recording engineer and mixer
- Record of the Year (Category 1): No Vaya a Ser – Recording engineer
In addition to those two nominations, Carlos worked as an arranger, performer, programmer and engineer in Pablo Alboran’s album Prometo which was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and also
Jorge Mejia (BM ’96), the Frost alumnus, pianist and composer
Mejia commented "I cut my teeth practicing at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami while pursuing my undergraduate degree back in the day. Two decades later I got to record with Frost’s Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra in what would become An Open Book, a recording released via Sony Music Latin. At that point I thought that the process had gone full circle - but now, with a Latin Grammy nomination in the Best Classical Composition category for a work out of that release, I realize that the sky is the limit with what started so many years ago in those practice rooms I now remember so fondly."
Dafnis Prieto, Frost School of Music Drums Assistant Professor of Practice received a nomination in the Best Latin Jazz Album (Category 31) for his album Back To The Sunset recorded with his big band. This nomination adds to his numerous achievements including a 2011 MacArthur Fellow and a 2007 Grammy Award nomination for Absolute Quintet in the Best Latin Jazz Album category.“I’m excited that my latest album ‘Back to the Sunset’ received a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album! Thank you to the Academy, to all the musicians who beautifully played on this recording, including one of the featured artists, friend and Frost School of Music colleague Brian Lynch,” stated Dafnis.
Raquel Sofia (BM ’09), Frost alumna who was nominated in the category of Best Singer-Songwriter Album (Category 21), making this her second Latin Grammy nomination since being nominated as Best New Artist in 2015. Sofia is considered an indie phenomenon to come out this decade. Before releasing an album, she had already written and performed with some of the most popular and influential artists in the Latin market including Shakira and Juanes. Sofia happily stated, “2:00 AM” is the album I always wanted to make. It’s a reflection of who I am as a woman, as a songwriter, and as a musician. It’s an honor to be nominated in such a prestigious category as “Best Singer-Songwriter Album” with music that is so close to my heart. I’m very grateful and honestly, still in shock.”
Honorable Mentions
Marcus Grant (MM ’17), Frost alum who performed on Nestor Torres’s record Jazz Flute Traditions. The record was nominated for Best Latin/Jazz Album (Category 31). “It was a pleasure working with Nestor to bring these classic songs to life” Grant commented, “His unique blend of traditional Jazz and Latin music made for a fun and rewarding project. By recording the album in front of a live audience right here in Miami, Nestor captured the intangible communal energy which lives within both genres.”
Addendum
Natalia Ramirez (MA ’17), Arts Presenting alumna
- Album of the Year (Category 2): Prometo – Recording engineer
- Record of the Year (Category 1): No Vaya a Ser – Recording engineer
Know of any Frost alumni who should be on this list? Email Frost Communications at frostcommunications@miami.edu.
Photo Credit for Julio Reyes - Laura Coppelman.
