The past president of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra says he's thrilled the orchestra has been nominated for a Juno award.

The TBSO is nominated in the Classical Album of the Year:  Large Ensemble category for its album Into the Wonder.

 "We as an organization believe in contemporary Canadian symphonic music," Paul Inksetter told CBC, "so to do a whole recording of new contemporary Canadian music and have that effort recognized in this nomination is really thrilling."

Into the Wonder is a collection of compositions by Toronto-based Canadian composer Jordan Pal, whose work the TBSO has several times commissioned and premiered.

Music director Arthur Post is a fan of Pal's work, Inksetter explained.

One of the pieces, "Starling," is a triple concerto recorded with the Gryphon Trio, he said.  

The recording took place over three days at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium and was released in November 2017.  

"We all felt very pleased that it had gone well," Inksetter said, but he added, the Juno nomination came as a surprise.