Charlotte Symphony Orchestra music director Kwamé Ryan's journey to the Grammys

Between the lines: Ryan was named the first person of color to lead CSO in December 2023.

• The Canadian-born conductor, who grew up in Trinidad, did not have a Grammy Award on his vision board as a child. Growing up, he did not know classical music could even win a Grammy. Now Ryan plans to use this experience as a starting block for what CSO can achieve.
• "Speaking for myself as a Black conductor, we're a small demographic, but getting less so one generation at a time, and moments like these could be so inspirational for the people who will follow," Ryan said as he accepted the award Sunday night.
• The winning piece he conducted was recorded live during the Houston Grand Opera's world premiere run at the Wortham Theater Center in fall 2023. Ryan began his role with CSO in 2024.

Catch up quick: Ryan made what he described to Axios as a "herculean effort" to make the awards. CSO's scheduled performances for the weekend had been canceled due to a historic snowstorm. Rather than try to fly out on Sunday as originally planned, he went straight to Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 8am Saturday morning.

• "I was almost out on Saturday evening, and they called our flight back from the runway," Ryan tells me, as he waits to board a flight home from Los Angeles.

• Ryan spent 12 hours at the airport. He initially went home resigned to the idea of having to watch the Grammys on YouTube, "I have to have this experience," he thought, "because who knows if it will ever come again."
• It took until 2:30am Sunday for Ryan to catch an Uber to Atlanta where he caught a flight to Los Angeles. By the time he made it to the Peacock Theater, the Grammys had already started.
• He made it in time to accept his first Grammy Award. "I am still quite overwhelmed," Ryan told me.

What's next: Ryan will conduct CSO in Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 on Feb. 13 and 14 at Belk Theater.

Watch Ryan's speech here.