OU professor and alum Christina Giacona will join the biggest names in music at the 68th annual Grammy Awards with four nominated works.
This is Giacona’s fourth time at the Grammys.
“It's the greatest feeling,” Giacona said.
The nominations span multiple roles and genres, with Giacona contributing as a producer, engineer, mix engineer and choral producer across the four projects.
On “ALIKE – My Mother’s Dream,” by Allison Charney and Benjamin Loeb, Giacona was a producer, engineer and mix engineer. The album also included a harp feature by OU professor Gaye LeBlanc.
On “Se7en Seasons” by Kitt Wakeley, Giacona served as a choral producer, mix engineer and engineer. The OU Women's Choir Conductor David Howard and the University of Oklahoma Chamber Choir were also a part of the project.
“The quality of the students is phenomenal,” Giacona said. “The fact that we could record undergraduate students and have it on an album that got Grammy-nominated is kind of unheard of, because usually it's professionals. It really speaks a lot about the quality of the teaching of the students we're accepting, and then the students who are graduating from our program.”
“Requiem of Light” by Patti Drennan involved extensive mixing work, Giacona said.
On “Shayan” by Charu Suri, Giacona worked as an engineer, recording a prominent cello solo featured throughout the album.
Giacona credits her time spent as an OU student and professor as having a deep influence on her musical career.
“OU trained me to the highest level possible to hear when things were correct, and then how to articulate that in order to get to that point,” Giacona said.
Giacona’s personal inspiration is deeply rooted in OU. Her clarinet professor David Etheridge, who passed away a few years ago, taught her during her time at OU and left a deep impact on her career.
“He was influential in that he allowed me space to think outside of what the traditional bounds of what a classical clarinetist would be, and so he encouraged me to explore other avenues. … I've never really had a teacher who did that before,” Giacona said.
The albums Giacona worked on focus on genre-breaking and making art that may not fit a “traditional” sound, Giacona said.
“There is a piece on ‘ALIKE’ (and) the composer is Amy Beach, and she was a female American composer. … She’s just inspiring to me. She composed music at a time when women weren't really known or really allowed to take that as a career path, …” Giacona said. “The production side and engineering side is very male-dominated, and I feel like I'm breaking boundaries by having success in the genre, and hopefully … there (will) be more female engineers and producers.”
For Giacona, the choice to stay in Oklahoma is deliberate.
“I'm actually from (Los Angeles), and I've chosen to make Oklahoma home. … This is a state that allows you to be creative and provides you support,” Giacona said. “In Los Angeles, everybody's trying to make it, there (are) no opportunities for you. … People are willing to take the risk on you here.”
Giacona has worked with groups in Oklahoma City, including recording the Oklahoma City Philharmonic with her partner.
Giacona has multiple upcoming projects, including work as the Fort Smith Symphony producer in residence for the 2026-27 season.
“As a producer … we have five or six albums that are going to come out in the next couple months, …” Giacona said. “It's going to be a busy 2026 and 2027.”
Reflecting on the music industry as a whole, Giacona said she hopes to see more women working as producers, composers and conductors. She also encouraged OU students to work their hardest to pursue music.
“I think there's this idea that you have to record in a fancy studio and you have to have all of these very expensive pieces of equipment. … I think if somebody wants to become a producer, they literally just have to do it, …” Giacona said. “Producing is developing a relationship with the artists and finding ways to communicate in order to achieve their goals. … The practice rooms (are) always open. Just go in there and see what happens.”
The 2026 Grammy Awards will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ 7 p.m. Feb. 1 from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
This story was edited by Macey Thaxton, Audrey McClour and Natalie Armour. Vanessa Essien and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
