New York Philharmonic

24 February 2012

“I was sort of numb.”

It was a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo that struck dumb New York Philharmonic Principal Percussion Christopher S. Lamb. The Michigan native was on tour in Europe with the Philharmonic when he got a late-night call from his wife. “I kept it to myself, I didn’t really say much about it,” he admitted afterward. But eventually, people heard the news, and he returned home to 10 pages of congratulatory e-mails. The award was proffered for his recording of Joseph Schwantner’s Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra — which the New York Philharmonic commissioned and premiered with Lamb as soloist in 1995. The percussionist, who joined the New York Philharmonic in 1985, started on his instruments early: he received a snare drum from his parents in the second grade, along with private lessons. “I was really energetic and playing on everything,” he recalled. “I guess they wanted to direct that energy.” It seems to have paid off.

The Michigan native recently spoke with The Flint Journal about his Grammy win.