Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition
The Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition was first awarded in 1961. This award was not presented from 1967 to 1984.
The award has had several minor name changes:
- From 1961 to 1962 the award was known as Best Contemporary Classical Composition
- In 1963 it was awarded as Best Contemporary Composition
- In 1965 it was awarded as Best Composition by a Contemporary Composer
- In 1966 and 1964 it was awarded as Best Composition by a Contemporary Classical Composer
- In 1985 it was awarded as Best New Classical Composition
- From 1986 to 1994 it was again awarded as Best Contemporary Composition
- From 1995 to 2011 it was again awarded as Best Classical Contemporary Composition
- In 2012 the category was renamed into Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
2020s
- 2020: Jennifer Higdon for Harp Concerto, performed by Yolanda Kondonassis, Ward Stare & the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
- *Nominees:
- **Derek Bermel for Migration Series for Jazz Ensemble & Orchestra, performed by Derek Bermel, Ted Nash, David Alan Miller, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, & the Albany Symphony Orchestra
- **Wynton Marsalis for Violin Concerto in D Major, performed by Nicola Benedetti, Cristian Măcelaru, & the Philadelphia Orchestra
- **Andrew Norman for Sustain, performed by Gustavo Dudamel & the Los Angeles Philharmonic
- **Caroline Shaw for Orange, performed by the Attacca Quartet
- **Julia Wolfe for Fire In My Mouth, performed by Jaap van Zweden, Francisco Núñez, Donald Nally, the Crossing, the Young People's Chorus of New York City, & the New York Philharmonic
2010s
- 2019: Aaron Jay Kernis for Violin Concerto, performed by James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & the Seattle Symphony
- *Nominees:
- **Mason Bates and Mark Campbell for The evolution of Steve Jobs, performed by Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edward Parks, Jessica E. Jones & the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra
- **Du Yun for Air Glow, performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble
- **Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally for Great Scott, performed by Patrick Summers, Manuel Palazzo, Mark Hancock, Michael Mayes, Rodell Rosel, Kevin Burdette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade, Ailyn Pérez, Joyce DiDonato, and the Dallas Opera Chorus & Orchestra
- **Missy Mazzoli for Vespers for Violin, performed by Olivia de Prato
- 2018: Jennifer Higdon for Viola Concerto, performed by Roberto Diaz, Giancarlo Geurrero, & the Nashville Symphony
- *Nominees:
- **Zhou Tian for Concerto for Orchestra, performed by Louis Langrée & the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
- **Adam Schoenberg for Picture Studies, performed by Michael Stern & the Kansas City Symphony
- **Tigran Mansurian for Requiem, performed by Alexander Liebreich, Florian Helgath, the RIAS Kammerchor, & the Münchener Kammerorchester
- **Richard Danielpour for Songs of Solitude, performed by Thomas Hampson, Giancarlo Guerrero, & the Nashville Symphony
- 2017: Michael Daugherty for Tales of Hemingway, performed by Zuill Bailey, Giancarlo Guerrero, & the Nashville Symphony
- *Nominees:
- **Mason Bates for Anthology of Fantastic Zoology, performed by Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- **Jennifer Higdon and Gene Scheer for Cold Mountain, performed by Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Jay Hunter Morris, Emily Fons, Isabel Leonard, Nathan Gunn, & The Santa Fe Opera
- **Christopher Theofanidis for Bassoon Concerto, performed by Martin Kuuskmann, Barry Jekowsky, & the Northwest Sinfonia
- **C.F. Kip Winger for Conversations with Nijinsky, performed by Martin West & the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra
- 2016: Stephen Paulus for Prayers & Remembrances, performed by Eric Holtan and True Concord Voices & Orchestra
- *Nominees:
- **Gerald Barry for The Importance of Being Earnest, performed by Thomas Adès, Barbara Hannigan, Katalin Károlyi, Hilary Summers, Peter Tantsits, & the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
- **Andrew Norman for Play, performed by Gil Rose & Boston Modern Orchestra Project
- **Joan Tower for Stroke, performed by Giancarlo Guerrero, Cho-Liang Lin, & the Nashville Symphony
- **Julia Wolfe for Anthracite Fields, performed by Julian Wachner, The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street, & Bang On A Can All Stars
- 2015: John Luther Adams for Become Ocean
- *Nominees:
- **Anna Clyne for Prince of Clouds
- **George Crumb for Voices From the Heartland
- **Stephen Paulus for Concerto For Two Trumpets & Band
- **Roberto Sierra for Sinfonia No. 4
- 2014: Maria Schneider for Winter Morning Walks
- *Nominees:
- **Magnus Lindberg for Piano Concerto No. 2
- **Arvo Pärt for Adam's Lament
- **Esa-Pekka Salonen for Violin Concerto
- **Caroline Shaw for Partita for 8 Voices
- 2013: Stephen Hartke for Meanwhile - Incidental Music to Imaginary Puppet Plays
- *Nominees:
- **Tania Leon for Inura for Voices, Strings and Percussion
- **Uģis Prauliņš for The Nightingale
- **Einojuhani Rautavaara for Cello Concerto No. 2 - Towards the Horizon
- **Steven Stucky for August 4, 1964
- 2012: Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein for Elmer Gantry
- *Nominees:
- **George Crumb for The Ghost of Alhambra
- **Jefferson Friedman for String Quartet no. 3
- **Steven Mackey for Lonely Motel - Music from Slide
- **Poul Ruders for Piano Concerto no. 2
- 2011: Michael Daugherty for Deus ex Machina
- 2010: Jennifer Higdon for Percussion Concerto, performed by Marin Alsop & the London Philharmonia Orchestra
- *Nominees:
- **Arvo Pärt for Symphony No. 4 Los Angeles
2000s
- 2009: John Corigliano for Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan, performed by JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
- 2008: Joan Tower for Made in America, performed by Leonard Slatkin & Nashville Symphony Orchestra
- 2007: Osvaldo Golijov for Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears, performed by Robert Spano
- 2006: William Bolcom for Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience, performed by Leonard Slatkin
- 2005: John Adams for On the Transmigration of Souls, performed by Lorin Maazel, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, New York Choral Artists & the New York Philharmonic
- 2004: Dominick Argento for Argento: Casa Guidi, performed by Frederica von Stade, Eiji Oue & the Minnesota Orchestra
- 2003: Steve Barnett, Preston Smith, John Tavener, Joseph Jennings, Chanticleer & the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston for Tavener: Lamentations and Praises
- 2002: Christopher Rouse, Muhai Tang, Sharon Isbin & the Gulbenkian Orchestra for Concert de Gaudí for Guitar and Orchestra
- 2001: George Crumb & Thomas Conlin for Crumb: Star-Child
- 2000: Pierre Boulez & the Ensemble Inter-Contemporain for Boulez: Répons
1990s
- 1999: Krzysztof Penderecki, Anne-Sophie Mutter & the London Symphony Orchestra for Penderecki: Violin Concerto No. 2, Metamorphosen
- 1998: John Adams, Kent Nagano & the Hallé Orchestra for Adams: El Dorado
- 1997: John Corigliano & the Cleveland Quartet for Corigliano: String Quartet
- 1996: Olivier Messiaen & Myung-Whun Chung for Messiaen: Concert a Quatre
- 1995: Stephen Albert, David Zinman & Yo-Yo Ma for Albert: Cello Concerto
- 1994: Elliott Carter, Oliver Knussen & the London Symphony Orchestra for Violin Concerto
- 1993: Samuel Barber, Andrew Schenck & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Barber: The Lovers
- 1992: John Corigliano, Daniel Barenboim & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Corigliano: Symphony No. 1
- 1991: Leonard Bernstein, Judy Kaye & William Sharp for Bernstein: Arias & Barcarolles
- 1990: Steve Reich & the Kronos Quartet for Reich: Different Trains
1980s
- 1989: John Adams, Edo de Waart & the San Francisco Symphony for Adams: Nixon in China
- 1988: Krzysztof Penderecki, Mstislav Rostropovich & the Philharmonia Orchestra for Penderecki: Cello Concerto No. 2
- 1987: Witold Lutosławski & Esa-Pekka Salonen for Lutosławski: Symphony No. 3
- 1986: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sarah Brightman & Plácido Domingo for Lloyd Webber: Requiem
- 1985: Samuel Barber & Christian Badea for Antony and Cleopatra
1960s
- 1966: Charles Ives for Symphony No. 4, conducted by Leopold Stokowski
- 1965: Samuel Barber for Piano Concerto, performed by John Browning
- 1964: Benjamin Britten & the London Symphony Orchestra for Britten: War Requiem
- 1963: Igor Stravinsky for Stravinsky: The Flood
- 1962: Laurindo Almeida for Discantus & Igor Stravinsky for Stravinsky: Movements for Piano and Orchestra
- 1961: Aaron Copland & the Boston Symphony Orchestra for Orchestral Suite from The Tender Land Suite
Multiple winners and nominees
- Samuel Barber - 3 wins
- John Adams - 3 wins
- John Corigliano - 3 wins
- Michael Daugherty - 2 wins
- Krzysztof Penderecki - 2 wins
- Jennifer Higdon - 4 nominations, 3 wins
- George Crumb - 3 nominations, 1 win
- Joan Tower - 2 nominations, 1 win
- Julia Wolfe - 2 nominations, no wins
- Mason Bates - 2 nominations, no wins
- Arvo Pärt - 2 nominations, no wins
- Andrew Norman - 2 nominations, no wins