Classical Grammys: The New Generation

Mexican composer Gabriella Ortiz [pictured] took home the most classical Grammy awards yesterday afternoon at the annual pre-ceremony event in Los Angeles. With Gustavo Dudamel as her No. 1 champion (and collaborator in this case), she won in the categories of Best Choral Performance (for Yanga with Dudamel conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale); Best Classical Compendium (for Yanga with Dudamel conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic); and Best Contemporary Classical (for Dzoznot with cellist Alisa Wilerstein and Dudamel with the LA Phil).

Contemporary composers ruled, winning awards for Best Opera, Chamber Music, Choral, Compendium, and Chamber recordings. The next generation is now.   

The 2026 Classical Grammy Award Winners

Best Engineered Album, Classical

Christopher Cerrone (b. 1984): Don't Look Down
Mike Tierney, engineer; Alan Silverman, mastering engineer. An album by Sandbox Percussion.

Producer of the Year, Classical

Elaine Martone
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)
Chopin & Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonatas (Brian Thornton & Spencer Myer)
Dear Mrs. Kennedy (Ryan Townsend Strand)
Eastman: Symphony No. 2; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)
LeFrak: Romántico (Sharon Isbin, Lopez-Yañez & Orchestra Of St. Luke's)
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 & Symphony No. 29 (Garrick Ohlsson, Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)
The Poet & The Prodigy (Debra Nagy & Mark Edwards)
Shapes In Collective Space (Talla Rouge)
Songs Of Orpheus (Kelley O'Connor)

Best Orchestral Performance

Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie
Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Best Opera Recording

Jake Heggie: Intelligence Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J'Nai Bridges & Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer)

Best Choral Performance

Gabriella Ortiz: Yanga Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master (Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Master Chorale)

Best Chamber Performance

Donnacha Dennehy: Land of Winter Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound

Classical Instrumental Solo

Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos
Yo-Yo Ma; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Classical Solo Vocal

Telemann: Opera Arias for Soprano Amanda Forsythe, soloist; Robert Mealy, Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra)

Classical Compendium

Gabriella Ortiz: Yanga Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Gabriella Ortiz: Dzonot (Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)