LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For 14 years, Teddy Abrams has been guiding the Louisville Orchestra to success and awards.

Now, the tenured conductor is being praised for his own musical curation.

“This is as much the city’s nomination as it is the orchestra’s or mine,” Abrams said.

He is nominated for a Grammy in the category “Best Classical Instrument Solo” for his performance “The American Project.”

Abrams wrote this concerto during the beginning of the pandemic to accompany world-renowned pianist Yuja Wang.

“This is a piece that’s just uplifting. It uses jazz and big band and funk and all these great styles of music that are like distinctly American to hopefully just leave you grinning. That’s that’s what I wanted from this music.”

The Musical America’s 2022 Conductor of the Year recipient says he is grateful that he and the Louisville Orchestra can represent Louisville on such a large stage.

“It’s really important to us right now that we serve as a as a symbol and a beacon of all the great things that happen in Louisville. And that is both for people in Louisville and for people outside of Louisville.”

Whether or not he comes back with a Gramophone trophy, Abrams says being validated in front of a nationwide audience is a feat the city can cherish.

“We hope that in a moment when the orchestra can celebrate and we have some great news to deliver to our audiences, which we consider to be our family. It’s something that the city can be very proud of,” he said.

The orchestra is continuing to use innovative approaches to help bring meaning to their music. On Saturday, Jan. 13, they will present “Together in Song,” exploring the rich and intertwining musical traditions of Black and Jewish communities.

Kentuckians Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Silas House and Sam Bush are also nominated for Grammies this year. The 2024 Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 4.