Grammy winner and jazz bassist, singer, songwriter and composer esperanza spalding received the 2021 Richard Brettell Award in the Arts at UT Dallas.
Established in 2016 with a gift from Margaret McDermott, the award recognizes the work of individuals in visual arts, music, literature, performance or architecture/design. It includes a $150,000 prize and a three-day campus residency. As part of her Dallas visit this spring, spalding performed a concert in Annette Strauss Square in the Dallas Arts District.
Called “the 21st century’s jazz genius” by NPR, spalding has won five Grammys, including best new artist in 2011 – the first jazz artist to win that award. spalding’s latest album, “Songwrights Apothecary Lab,” won a 2022 Grammy for best jazz vocal album.
Dr. Nils Roemer, interim dean of the School of Arts and Humanities and the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication, said the selection committee comprises arts leaders from UT Dallas and the community, including the CEOs of the Dallas Symphony and the Dallas Opera.
“esperanza already has a reputation as a jazz visionary,” said Roemer. “She is so creative, pushing boundaries and taking chances.”
As part of her visit to the campus, spalding answered questions from a panel of UT Dallas professors, as well as from the public.
The 2021 Brettell Award is the first one to be given since the death of its namesake in July 2020. Brettell was the founding director of UT Dallas’ Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History.
–Phil Roth
