It is an honor to share with you this year’s nominations, which celebrate the hard work and dedication of all the artists and teams involved in the creation and performance of contemporary music. I am deeply grateful to be part of this special moment, not only for my own work, Revolución Diamantina, but also for the incredible opportunity to collaborate with such talented and visionary artists. Music remains a powerful vehicle for expression and transformation, and it is a privilege to witness the recognition of so many creators who continue to innovate and push the boundaries of art.
Below, I am pleased to share the nominations in various categories, which highlight many of my colleagues and friends in the world of contemporary classical music. I am excited to be part of this community and to continue building together a musical future full of possibilities.
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
A Composer’s Award. (For a contemporary classical composition
composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time
during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.
- Casarrubios: Seven For Solo Cello
Andrea Casarrubios, composer (Andrea Casarrubios) - Coleman: Revelry
Valerie Coleman, composer (Decoda) - Lang: Composition As Explanation
David Lang, composer (Eighth Blackbird) - Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina
Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Gustavo Dudamel, Los
Angeles Philharmonic & Los Angeles Master Chorale) - Saariaho: Adriana Mater
Kaija Saariaho, composer (Esa-Pekka Salonen, Fleur
Barron, Nicholas Phan, Christopher Purves, Axelle
Fanyo, San Francisco Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)
Best Orchestral Performance
Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.
- Adams: City Noir, Fearful Symmetries & Lola Montez
Does The Spider Dance
Marin Alsop, conductor (ORF Vienna Radio Symphony
Orchestra) - Kodály: Háry János Suite; Summer Evening &
Symphony In C Major
JoAnn Falletta, conductor (Buffalo Philharmonic
Orchestra) - Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles
Philharmonic) - Sibelius: Karelia Suite, Rakastava, & Lemminkäinen
Susanna Mälkki, conductor (Helsinki Philharmonic
Orchestra) - Stravinsky: The Firebird
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco
Symphony)
Best Classical Compendium
Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) and
Engineer(s) of over 50% playing time of the album, and to the
Composer and Librettist (if applicable) with over 50% playing time
of a world premiere recording only.
- Akiho: BeLonging
Andy Akiho & Imani Winds; Andy Akiho, Sean Dixon
& Mark Dover, producers - American Counterpoints
Curtis Stewart; James Blachly, conductor; Blanton
Alspaugh, producer - Foss: Symphony No. 1; Renaissance Concerto; Three
American Pieces; Ode
JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Bernd Gottinger, producer - Mythologies II
Sangeeta Kaur, Omar Najmi, Hilá Plitmann, Robert
Thies & Danaë Xanthe Vlasse; Michael Shapiro,
conductor; Jeff Atmajian, Emilio D. Miler, Hai Nguyen,
Robert Thies, Danaë Xanthe Vlasse & Kitt Wakeley,
producers - Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
Best Engineered Album, Classical
An Engineer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.)
- Adams: Girls Of The Golden West
Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander
Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (John Adams,
Daniela Mack, Ryan McKinny, Paul Appleby, Hye Jung
Lee, Elliot Madore, Julia Bullock, Davóne Tines, Los
Angeles Philharmonic & Los Angeles Master Chorale) - Andres: The Blind Banister
Silas Brown, Doron Schachter & Michael Schwartz,
engineers; Matt Colton, mastering engineer (Andrew Cyr,
Inbal Segev & Metropolis Ensemble) - Bruckner: Symphony No. 7; Bates: Resurrexit
Mark Donahue & John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue,
mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra) - Clear Voices In The Dark
Daniel Shores, engineer; Daniel Shores, mastering engineer
(Matthew Guard & Skylark Vocal Ensemble) - Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina
Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander
Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (Gustavo
Dudamel, María Dueñas, Los Angeles Philharmonic & Los
Angeles Master Chorale)