Piano CD gets Arlington grad Grammy nomination

Kenneth Boulton, a 1980 graduate of Arlington High School, has been nominated for a Grammy award for his piano performance on a two-CD anthology titled "Louisiana — A Pianist's Journey."

Boulton received news of the nomination Dec. 6.

"I was at a loss for words for a minute or two," he said. "I was ecstatic and humbled at the same time, having received such an honor by my peers. The repertoire is very special; it promotes the strong classical-music traditions Louisiana and New Orleans were known for before the onset of jazz."

For the past five years, Boulton has been an assistant professor of piano in the department of music and dramatic arts at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La.

He was nominated for the Grammy in the best classical instrumental soloist without orchestra category.

The two-CD project was created through a $50,000 grant from ATLAS (Awards to Louisiana Artists and Scholars) from the Louisiana Board of Regents, the governing body that oversees the state university system.

On the recording, Boulton performed compositions written between 1847 and 1949 inspired by life in the South, particularly Louisiana. He has recorded seven other CDs.

After high school, Boulton received his bachelor's degree in piano performance in 1984 from Washington State University and his master's and doctorate in piano performance in 1986 and 1997, respectively, from the University of Maryland.

In May 2007, Boulton performed at the inauguration of the Lynda M. Byrnes Performing Arts Center in Arlington on a Steinway concert grand piano donated by his parents, George and Annalee Boulton.

The Grammy Awards will be announced Feb. 10.

For more information on the recording, go to Cambria Music at www.cambriamus.com.