Lawrence University professors Michael Clayville and Erin Lesser have received the Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance award at the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards as members of Alarm Will Sound, a 22-member contemporary chamber orchestra. The ceremony took place on February 1, 2026, in Los Angeles.
“It is an incredible honor for Erin and me to represent Lawrence University and its world-class Conservatory of Music through this GRAMMY win,” Clayville said. “The values we carry from Lawrence—artistic rigor, collaboration, and curiosity—are central to everything we do.”
Alarm Will Sound earned the award for its recording of Donnacha Dennehy’s “Land of Winter,” which was also nominated for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. The work consists of twelve interconnected movements reflecting seasonal changes in Ireland.
“Land of Winter” has been recognized by major publications such as The New York Times, Boston Globe, Gramophone, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio in their year-end lists and reviews.
Michael Clayville serves as an instructor in music entrepreneurial studies and social engagement at Lawrence University. He is a founding member of Alarm Will Sound and plays trombone with the group. Clayville noted that his experience with fellow musicians began during his time at Eastman School of Music and now informs his teaching approach at Lawrence.
Erin Lesser joined Alarm Will Sound over ten years ago as a flute player. She has taught flute at Lawrence since 2011 and focuses on preparing students for careers in contemporary music while engaging with current issues through musical performance.
Both professors emphasize that their active roles as musicians influence their classroom instruction.
Lawrence University operates as a private liberal arts college and music conservatory located in Appleton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1847, it offers undergraduate degrees including Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, and a combined five-year program integrating creative and intellectual pursuits. The university maintains a student-faculty ratio of 7:1 and draws students from nearly every state and more than fifty countries (official website). Its historic campus features buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places (official website).
For more information about programs available at the Conservatory of Music or College of Arts and Sciences at Lawrence University, interested individuals can contact the Office of Admissions.
