UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music Faculty & Alumni Secure Multiple 2026 Grammy Nominations
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music is celebrating a strong showing in the 2026 Grammy Awards nominations, with several faculty members and alumni earning nods across genres from R&B to classical.
Stand‑out nominations
Faculty member Erik Madrid, part of the Music Industry department, is listed as the recording engineer on Ledisi’s album The Crown, nominated for Best R&B Album, and on her track Love You Too, nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
Alumna Este Haim received a nomination in the Best Rock Album category for her project I Quit.
In classical genres:
Two alumni were nominated for Best Opera Recording: Jake Heggie’s opera Intelligence, and Brian Vu as featured tenor soloist on Huang Ruo: An American Soldier.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic recording of works by Gabriela Ortiz, namely Yanga (for Best Choral Performance & Best Classical Compendium) and Dzonot (for Best Classical Composition), also features contributions from UCLA faculty and an alumnus.
Institutional pride & broader significance
The school noted that beyond the excitement of nominations, these achievements reflect the breadth of its influence, from modern popular music production to high‑art classical recordings. Professors and alumni playing in major orchestras and collaborating on major label releases show how the institution is bridging diverse musical worlds.
This cross‑genre representation signals how the school’s curriculum and faculty engagement support a wide range of career pathways in the music industry.
Looking ahead
While nominations are impressive, the next step is the awards ceremony itself, where wins can elevate the careers of nominees and raise the profile of the institution. For the UCLA music community, the hope is that these nominations will catalyse further opportunities: from student internships, to faculty projects, to alumni collaborations.