SF Symphony wins Grammy Award

John Adams at his Berkeley music studio
(TERRENCE MCCARTHY/NEW YORK TIMES)

The San Francisco Symphony’s live concert recording of works by Bay Area composer John Adams won a 2013 Grammy Award in the category of Best Orchestral Performance.

See photo gallery of 2013 Grammy Awards

The recording, which includes “Harmonielehre” and “Short Ride in a Fast Machine,” was released in March 2012 in conjunction with the orchestra’s American Mavericks Festival.

The award marks the 15th Grammy win for the San Francisco Symphony and the 8th award on its own SFS Media label.

The symphony commissioned, premiered and recorded “Harmonielehre” in 1985 during Adams’ tenure as the SFS composer-in-residence.

SFS Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas commissioned “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” in 1986, and it was recorded during the symphony’s Centennial Season Opening Gala in September 2011.

A native of New England, Adams moved to the West Coast in 1971. He lives in Berkeley and built a studio on a 40-acre plot of redwoods at the Sonoma Coast.