The Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition was first handed out in 1961. Over the years the Recording Academy has made a few changes in the title of the award. It was known as Best Contemporary Classical Composition for the first two years after its introduction. In 1966 and 1964 it was awarded as Best Composition by a Contemporary Classical Composer. It was renamed in 1986 to Best Contemporary Composition, in 1995 to the present it has been awarded as Best Classical Contemporary Composition. In 2009 the rules were changed and if the award was won by an opera, it was presented to both the composer and the librettist. The award was not given out from 1967 to 1984.
Winners: Grammys Best Classical Contemporary Composition
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Year
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Winner/s
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Composition
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2009
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John Corigliano (composer)
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Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan performed by JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
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2008
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Joan Tower (composer)
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Made in America performed by Leonard Slatkin & Nashville Symphony Orchestra
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2007
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Osvaldo Golijov (composer)
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Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears performed by Robert Spano
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2006
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William Bolcom (composer)
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Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience performed by Leonard Slatkin
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2005
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John Adams (composer)
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On the Transmigration of Souls performed by Lorin Maazel, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, New York Choral Artists & the New York Philharmonic
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2004
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Dominick Argento (composer)
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"Argento: Casa Guidi" performed by Frederica von Stade, Eiji Oue & the Minnesota Orchestra
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2003
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Steve Barnett (producer), Preston Smith (engineer), John Tavener (composer), Joseph Jennings (conductor), Chanticleer & the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston
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Tavener: Lamentations and Praises
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2002
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Christopher Rouse (composer), Muhai Tang (conductor), Sharon Isbin & the Gulbenkian Orchestra
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Concert de Gaudí - Guitar and Orchestra
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2001
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George Crumb (composer) & Thomas Conlin
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Crumb: Star-Child
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2000
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Pierre Boulez (composer) & the Ensemble Inter-Contemporain
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Boulez: Répons
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1999
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Krzysztof Penderecki (composer & conductor), Anne-Sophie Mutter & the London Symphony Orchestra
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Penderecki: Violin Concerto No. 2, Metamorphosen
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1998
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John Adams (composer), Kent Nagano (conductor) & the Hallé Orchestra
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Adams: El Dorado
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1997
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John Corigliano (composer) & the Cleveland Quartet
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Corigliano: String Quartet
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1996
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Olivier Messiaen (composer) & Myung-Whun Chung (conductor)
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Messiaen: Concert a Quatre
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1995
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Stephen Albert (composer), David Zinman (conductor) & Yo-Yo Ma
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Albert: Cello Concerto
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1994
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Elliott Carter (composer), Oliver Knussen (conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra
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Carter: Violin Concerto
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1993
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Samuel Barber (composer), Andrew Schnenck (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
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Barber: The Lovers
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1992
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John Corigliano (composer), Daniel Barenboim (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
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Corigliano: Symphony No. 1
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1991
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Leonard Bernstein (composer), Judy Kaye & William Sharp
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Bernstein: Arias & Barcarolles
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1990
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Steve Reich (composer) & the Kronos Quartet
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Reich: Different Trains
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1989
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John Adams (composer), Edo de Waart (conductor) & the San Francisco Symphony
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Adams: Nixon in China
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1988
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Krzysztof Penderecki (composer & conductor), Mstislav Rostropovich & the Philharmonia Orchestra
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Penderecki: Cello Concerto No. 2
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1987
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Witold Lutos³awski (composer) & Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
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Lutos³awski: Symphony No. 3
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1986
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Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer), Sarah Brightman & Plácido Domingo
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Lloyd Webber: Requiem
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1985
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Samuel Barber (composer) & Christian Badea (conductor)
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Antony and Cleopatra
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1966
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Charles Ives (composer)
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Ives: Symphony No. 4 conducted by Leopold Stokowski
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1965
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Samuel Barber (composer)
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Concerto performed by John Browning
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1964
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Benjamin Britten (composer & conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra
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Britten: War Requiem
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1963
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Igor Stravinsky (composer and conductor)
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Stravinsky: The Flood
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1962
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Laurindo Almeida (composer and artist)
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Discantus
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Igor Stravinsky (composer and artist)
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Stravinsky: Movements
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Piano and Orchestra
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1961
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Aaron Copland (composer & conductor) & the Boston Symphony Orchestra
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Orchestral Suite from The Tender Land Suite
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