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‘I am still pinching myself’: Lexington native makes Grammy history

BOSTON, Mass.--Piano has been the soundtrack of Steven Feifke’s life for nearly three decades.

“I am kind of shy by nature and as a kid I oftentimes just kind of found my deepest expression coming from or rather being communicated through playing the piano,” says Feifke.

Piano became life for Feifke while growing up in Lexington. At just four years old, he began playing the same piano his mom played as a child in South Africa.

“My mom says I was always just drawn to the instrument. My dad used to pull me off the piano to do my homework,” says Feifke.

Little did he know he’d one day reach a crescendo away from the keys.

“I am still pinching myself to remind myself that it happened,” says Feifke.

This past weekend, Feifke received a medal for being a Grammy nominee for his Generation Jazz Gap Orchestra album, but getting nominated was just the beginning.

“That moment of the announcer, the presenter calling our name was sort of a blackout. When we won, I just stood up and I was like ‘oh my god’! I have never yelled in my life like that before,” says Feifke.

The sound of “Grammy Award-winning artist” is music to his ears. Add being the youngest at 31 to ever win in the large ensemble jazz album category and you have the perfect duet.

“When I think about the fact that I am the youngest person to ever win this award amongst some of my musical heroes including Duke Ellington and Miles Davis. To be in such an incredible company is incredibly humbling,” says Feifke.

Steven is a professor at the Berklee College of Music. The morning after the Grammy’s, his students surprised him with a party for winning music’s biggest award. His Grammy will be mailed to him later this year-something his students will no doubt be excited to see.

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