HOUSTON — Six Rice University Shepherd School of Music alumni are up for Grammys this weekend! What puts this hometown school in the spotlight?
The music school is relatively small and that scores students personalized attention.
Among their nominees this year -- Kareem Sulayman, who is up for best classical solo album with guitarist Sean Shibe. We spoke with Sulayman by Zom from London where he is debuting at the Royal Opera House.
“I’m not gonna lie. It’s very nice for me to be recognized,” he said.
In 1998, he took a year off from school and came to Houston on a lark.
“I covered my eyes and pointed on a map," he said. "I’d never been to Texas before.”
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Sulayman bartended and met a Shepherd School vocal coach who was the perfect fit. The tenor got his Masters in 2001.
So what's the rice magic?
“I just felt like everybody was on my side and that is something that doesn’t happen at other schools,” he said.
Emily Wells, Senior Assistant Dean for the Shepherd School, agrees, pointing to “individualized attention in lessons, classes, performance opportunities.”
Maybe even more important than a Grammy? A job. There are 275 students here. Between undergrads and grads, Shepherd estimates half will have jobs in their chosen fields before they finish their degrees.
When most folks think of the Grammys, they think of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Jon Batiste -- popular music.
“You have to be creative and bring classical music into today's times,” Wells said,
She invites Houstonians to come on by.
“Experience these great students while they are still in school so you can then celebrate them when they eventually do get nominated for Grammy awards in the future," Wells said.
Sulayman is making an encore nominee performance. The Rice Owl won his first Grammy in 2019.
This month alone, the Shepherd School will have 80 performances. Click here for a list of events and tickets.