Batavian to take stage at Grammys

A teenager, Andrew Peterson, from Batavia will be onstage at the Grammys with rock band The Foo Fighters. (Image provided)

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BATAVIA – Andrew Pearson is a huge Foo Fighters fan.

The 18-year-old Batavia violinist still can’t believe that he will play on stage next month with his musical heroes.

“It’s really a mind-blowing experience,” Pearson said.

Pearson on Tuesday found out he was one of 15 semi-finalists in the “My GRAMMY Moment” contest.

He will be part of an orchestra led by Led Zeppelin bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones that will perform a special orchestral version of the Foo Fighters’ hit single “The Pretender” during the Grammy Awards show Feb. 10 in Los Angeles, Calif.

Pearson had to submit a video to YouTube. In the video, he played a solo instrumental version of “The Pretender.”

The song is from the rock band’s latest album.

“We’re always looking for new ways to help musicians get their music heard,” YouTube music community manager Michele Flannery said. “It’s been exciting to watch the top 15 instrumentalists rise up on YouTube and have the chance to perform live with one of the biggest bands of today.”

Pearson has received plenty of support.

Click here to watch Andrew Pearson playing to the Foo Fighters "The Pretender."

“My friend Jason Peters said it was up to me to win the contest,” Pearson said.

Peters, Pearson and Thom Zolghadr are in the band 8 Bit Trio.

It didn’t take long for Pearson to learn the song.

“I was already familiar with it because I bought the album last fall,” he said. “I had a good handle on it.”

Pearson, a 2007 graduate of Batavia High School, has been playing the violin for 16 years. He was a member of the chamber orchestra and the philharmonic orchestra while in high school.

He has appreciated what the violin can do.

“It’s very expressive,” Pearson said. “I can do jazz and classical and any genre in between. It’s very flexible.”

Pearson has the chance to advance even further in the contest. Three finalists, who will vie for a featured performance slot in the orchestra, will be announced Feb. 4.

Fan voting for the featured performer will take place Feb. 4 through Feb. 10 at www.youtube.com/mygrammymoment.

 Pearson is just happy to be performing with the Foo Fighters.

“That’s going to be the best thing ever, to be around them and with the other musicians who have gotten so far,” Pearson said.