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Professor receives Grammy nomination

By Bethany Bunch

Friday, February 9, 2007

KU professor Robert Koenig is thanking the Academy for his Grammy nomination.

Koenig’s recording of Viola Transcriptions will compete with four other nominees in the Best Instrumental Soloist Performance category at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. Koenig recorded the release with acclaimed violinist Roberto Diaz.

“For the first few weeks after the announcements, I continued to go back to the grammy.com Web site, just to make sure that I really wasn’t dreaming it all,” he said.

Koenig was informed of his nomination in early December, but he said it’s still hard to believe.

“For the first few weeks after the announcements, I continued to go back to the grammy.com Web site, just to make sure that I really wasn’t dreaming it all,” he said.

The recording, by William Primrose, included music by Beethoven, Brahms, Schuberts and others.

Koenig and Diaz made the recording in Toronto in 2004 and released it in the Summer 2006 on a label called Naxos. The label submitted the recording to the Recording Academy and was chosen from more than 150 submissions.

Koenig said the nomination came as a huge surprise and he was thrilled for the recognition, although a Grammy nomination was never a goal of his.

“My only goals as a pianist and accompanist have always been to prepare to the highest level, and to present the best possible musical performance that I can,” Koenig said. “To receive this nomination for this CD is like icing on the cake.”

Dr. Larry Mallett, chair of the department of music and dance, came to KU the same year Koenig did in 2001. Mallett said Koenig is the perfect example of an outstanding faculty member.

“Bob is a wonderful colleague and outstanding teacher,” Mallett said. “I knew when he got here that he was world-class.”

Before coming to KU seven years ago, Koenig was a staff pianist at the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music.

Koenig performs regularly throughout the world. Recent engagements include performances at Carnegie Hall in New York, Suntory Hall in Tokyo and the Louvre Museum in Paris. He has also made appearances on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and CBS’ “This Morning.”

“It’s sinking in now, especially since I’m leaving for L.A. on Saturday for the ceremony,” Koenig said. “It’s been an exciting time and has been a tremendous honor to get this nomination.”

Koenig will attend the pre-show awards on Sunday afternoon. The classical portion of the Grammy Awards isn’t part of the main telecast but may be included in the evening telecast if time permits.

Kansan staff writer Bethany Bunch can be contacted at bbunch@kansan.com.

— Edited by Will McCullough

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