Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance explained

The Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance has been awarded since 1961. There have been several minor changes to the name of the award over this time:

• In 1961 the award was known as Best Classical Performance - Choral (including oratorio)
• From 1962 to 1964 it was awarded as Best Classical Performance - Choral (other than opera)
• In 1965, 1969, 1971, 1977 to 1978 and 1982 to 1991 it was awarded as Best Choral Performance (other than opera)
• From 1966 to 1968 it was awarded as Best Classical Choral Performance (other than opera)
• In 1970, 1973 to 1976 and 1979 to 1981 it was awarded as Best Choral Performance, Classical (other than opera)
• In 1972 it was awarded as Best Choral Performance - Classical
• From 1992 to 1994 it was awarded as Best Performance of a Choral Work
• 1995 to the present the award has been known as Best Choral Performance

Prior to 1961 the awards for opera and choral performances were combined into a single award for Best Classical Performance, Operatic or Choral.

The award goes to the Conductor, and to the Choral Director and/or Chorus Master where applicable and to the Choral Organization/Ensemble.

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year. Performers who were not eligible for an award (such as orchestras, soloists or choirs) are mentioned between brackets. From 2017, the choral organization/ensemble does receive an Award.

Recipients

Year	Recipient(s)	Work	Performing artist(s)	Nominees Performing artist(s) in parentheses	Ref.
scope=row	1961	Thomas Beecham (conductor)	Handel Messiah			[1]
scope=row	1962	Robert Shaw (choir director)	Bach B Minor Mass			[2]
scope=row	1963	Otto Klemperer (conductor); Wilhelm Pitz (choir director)	Bach St. Matthew Passion	Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus		[3]
scope=row	1964	Benjamin Britten (conductor); Edward Chapman, David Willcocks (choir directors)	Britten War Requiem	Bach Choir, Highgate School Choir & the London Symphony Orchestra & Choir		[4]
scope=row	1965	Robert Shaw (choir director)	Britten A Ceremony of Carols			[5]
scope=row	1966	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms/Poulenc: Gloria	Robert Shaw Chorale & the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra		[6]
1967	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Handel Messiah	Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra		[7]
	Gregg Smith (conductor); George Bragg (choir director)	Ives Music for Chorus	Ithaca College Concert Choir, Gregg Smith Singers & Texas Boys Choir; Columbia Chamber Orchestra
1968	Leonard Bernstein (conductor)	Mahler Symphony No. 8 in E Flat Major (Symphony of a Thousand)	London Symphony Orchestra & Choir		[8]
	Eugene Ormandy (conductor), Robert Page (choir director)	Orff Catulli Carmina	Temple University Choir & the Philadelphia Orchestra
scope=row	1969	Vittorio Negri (conductor), George Bragg, Gregg Smith, (choir directors)	The Glory of Gabrieli	Gregg Smith Singers & Texas Boys Choir		[9]
scope=row	1970	Luciano Berio (conductor), Ward Swingle (choir director)	Berio Sinfonia	The Swingle Singers & the New York Philharmonic		[10]
scope=row	1971	Gregg Smith (choir director),	Ives New Music of Charles Ives	Gregg Smith Singers & Columbia Chamber Ensemble		[11]
scope=row	1972	Colin Davis (conductor); Russell Burgess, Arthur Oldham (choir directors)	Berlioz Requiem			[12]
scope=row	1973	Georg Solti (conductor)	Mahler Symphony No. 8 in E Flat (Symphony of a Thousand)	Vienna Boys Choir, Vienna Singverein Chorus & Vienna State Opera Chorus; Chicago Symphony Orchestra		[13]
scope=row	1974	André Previn (conductor), Arthur Oldham (choir director)	Walton Belshazzar's Feast			[14]
scope=row	1975	Colin Davis (conductor)	Berlioz The Damnation of Faust			[15]
scope=row	1976	Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor), Robert Page (choir director)	Orff Carmina Burana			[16]
scope=row	1977	André Previn (conductor), Arthur Oldham (choir director)	Rachmaninoff The Bells			[17]
scope=row	1978	Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Verdi Requiem	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[18]
scope=row	1979	Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Beethoven Missa Solemnis	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[19]
1980	Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Brahms A German Requiem	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[20]
1981	Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor), Norbert Balatsch (chorus master)	Mozart Requiem			[21]
1982	Neville Marriner (conductor)	Haydn The Creation			[22]
1983	Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Berlioz La Damnation de Faust	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[23]
1984	Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Haydn The Creation			[24]
1985	James Levine (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Brahms A German Requiem	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[25]
1986	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Berlioz Requiem	Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[26]
1987	James Levine (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Orff Carmina Burana	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[27]
1988	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Hindemith When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd			[28]
1989	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Verdi Requiem & Operatic Choruses			[29]
1990	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Britten War Requiem	Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus and the Atlanta Boy Choir		[30]
1991	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Walton Belshazzar's Feast/Bernstein: Chichester Psalms; Missa Brevis			[31]
1992	Georg Solti (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Bach Mass in B Minor	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[32]
1993	Herbert Blomstedt (conductor), Vance George (choir director)	Orff Carmina Burana	San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Boys Chorus & the San Francisco Girls Chorus		[33]
1994	Pierre Boulez (conductor), Margaret Hillis (choir director)	Bartók Cantata Profana	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[34]
1995	John Eliot Gardiner (choir director)	Berlioz Messe Solennelle			[35]
1996	Herbert Blomstedt (conductor), Vance George (choir director)	Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem			[36]
1997	Andrew Litton (conductor), Neville Creed, David Hill (chorus masters)	Walton Belshazzar's Feast			[37]
1998	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Adams Harmonium/Rachmaninoff: The Bells			[38]
1999	Robert Shaw (conductor)	Barber Prayers of Kierkegaard/Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem/Bartók: Cantata Profana			[39]
2000	Robert Shafer (conductor), Betty Scott, Joan McFarland (choir directors)	Britten War Requiem			[40]
2001	Karen Wilson (producer), Don Harder (engineer), Helmuth Rilling (conductor)	Penderecki Credo			[41]
2002	Martin Sauer (producer), Michael Brammann (engineer), Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor), Norbert Balatsch, Erwin Ortner (chorus masters)	Bach St Matthew Passion			[42]
2003	Thomas Moore (producer), Michael J. Bishop (engineer), Robert Spano (conductor), Norman Mackenzie (chorus director)	Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony (Sym. No. 1)	Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[43]
2004	Paavo Järvi (conductor), Tiia-Ester Loitme & Ants Soots (chorus masters)	Sibelius Cantatas	Ellerhein Girls' Choir, Estonian National Male Choir & Estonian National Symphony Orchestra		[44]
2005	Robert Spano (conductor) & Norman Mackenzie (choir director)	Berlioz Requiem	Frank Lopardo & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[45]
2006	Leonard Slatkin (conductor) & Jerry Blackstone, William Hammer, Jason Harris, Christopher Kiver, Carole Ott & Mary Alice Stollak (choir directors)	Bolcom Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience: Requiem	Christine Brewer, Measha Brueggergosman, Ilana Davidson, Nmon Ford, Linda Hohenfeld, Joan Morris, Carmen Pelton, Marietta Simpson & Thomas Young; Michigan State University Children's Choir, University Of Michigan Chamber Choir, University Of Michigan Orpheus Singers, University of Michigan University Choir & University Musical Society Choral Union; University of Michigan School of Music Symphony Orchestra		[46]
2007	Paul Hillier (conductor)	Pärt Da Pacem			[47]
2008	Simon Rattle (conductor); Simon Halsey (chorus master)	Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem	Rundfunkchor Berlin Berliner Philharmoniker		[48]
2009	Simon Rattle (conductor); Simon Halsey (chorus master)	Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms	Rundfunkchor Berlin		[49]
2010	Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor); Ragnar Bohlin, Kevin Fox & Susan McMane (choir directors); Peter Laenger & Andreas Neubronner, engineers/mixers	Mahler Symphony No. 8	San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Pacific Boychoir & San Francisco Girls Chorus; Laura Claycomb, Anthony Dean Griffey, Elza van den Heever, Katarina Karnéus, Quinn Kelsey, James Morris, Yvonne Naef & Erin Wall; San Francisco Symphony		[50]
2011	Riccardo Muti, conductor; Duain Wolfe, chorus master	Verdi: Requiem	Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus		[51]
2012	Eric Whitacre (conductor)	Light & Gold	Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King's Singers, Laudibus, Pavao Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers		[52]
2013	Charles Bruffy (conductor); Blanton Alspaugh, producer; Tom Caulfield & John Newton, engineers/mixers	Life & Breath - Choral Works by René Clausen	Matthew Gladden, Lindsey Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sarah Tannehill & Pamela Williamson and the Kansas City Chorale		[53]
2014	Tõnu Kaljuste (conductor); Manfred Eicher, producer; Peter Laenger & Stephan Schellmann, engineers	Pärt: Adam's Lament	Tui Hirv & Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir & Vox Clamantis		[54]
2015	Craig Hella Johnson (conductor); Robina G. Young (producer); Brad Michel (engineer/mixer)	The Sacred Spirit of Russia	Conspirare		[55]
2016	Charles Bruffy (conductor); Blanton Alspaugh (producer); Byeong Joon Hwang & John Newton (engineers)	Rachmaninoff All-Night Vigil	Paul Davidson, Frank Fleschner, Toby Vaughn Kidd, Bryan Pinkall, Julia Scozzafava, Bryan Taylor & Joseph Warner (soloists); Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Chorale (choruses)		[56]
2017	Krzysztof Penderecki (conductor); Henryk Wojnarowski (choir director)	Penderecki Conducts Penderecki, Volume 1	Nikolay Didenko, Agnieszka Rehlis & Johanna Rusanen (soloists); Warsaw Philharmonic Choir (chorus); Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (orchestra)		[57]
2018	Donald Nally (conductor); Andreas K. Meyer & Paul Vazquez (engineers)	Bryars The Fifth Century	The Crossing, PRISM Quartet		[58]
2019	Donald Nally (conductor); Paul Vazquez (producer)	McLoskey Zealot Canticles	The Crossing		[59]
2020	Robert Simpson (conductor); Blanton Alspaugh (producer); John Newton (engineer)		Ken Cowan (soloist); Houston Chamber Choir		[60]
2021	JoAnn Falletta (conductor); James K. Bass & Adam Luebke (chorus masters); Bernd Gottinger (engineer/mixer)	Danielpour The Passion of Yeshua	James K. Bass, J'Nai Bridges, Timothy Fallon, Kenneth Overton, Hila Plitmann & Matthew Worth (soloists); Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus & UCLA Chamber Singers		[61]
2022	Gustavo Dudamel (conductor); Grant Gershon, Robert Istad, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz & Luke McEndarfer (chorus masters)	Mahler Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand)	Leah Crocetto, Mihoko Fujimura, Ryan McKinny, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Simon O'Neill, Morris Robinson & Tamara Wilson (soloists); Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Children's Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, National Children's Chorus & Pacific Chorale (ensembles)		[62]
2023	Donald Nally (conductor)	Born	Dominic German, Maren Montalbano, Rebecca Myers & James Reese (soloists); The Crossing (ensemble)		[63]
2024	Nils Schweckendiek (conductor); Uusinita Ensemble (ensemble); Helsinki Chamber Choir (ensemble)	Saariaho Reconnaissance		Donald Nally (conductor); The Crossing (ensemble) - Carols After a Plague Craig Hella Johnson (conductor); Miró Quartet (ensemble); Conspirare (ensemble) - The House of Belonging Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor); San Francisco Symphony Chorus (ensemble) - Ligeti: Lux Aeterna Steven Fox (conductor); The Clarion Choir (ensemble) - Rachmaninoff: All Night Vigil
2025	Winner TBA on 2 February 2025			Matthew Guard (conductor); Skylark Vocal Ensemble (ensemble) - Clear Voices in the Dark Eric Holtan (conductor); True Concord Orchestra (ensemble); True Concord Voices (ensemble) - A Dream So Bright - Choral Music of Jake Runnestad Jeannette Sorrell (conductor); Apollo's Fire (ensemble); Apollo's Singers (ensemble) - Handel: Israel in Egypt Donald Nally (conductor); The Crossing (ensemble) - Ochre Elaine Kelly (conductor); Meliissa Attebury, Stephen Sands & Benedict Sheehan (chorus masters); Novus NY, Artefact Ensemble, The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Downtown Voices & Trinity Youth Chorus (ensembles) - Sheehan: Akathist	[64]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Grammy Awards 1961. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
2. Web site: Grammy Awards 1962. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
3. Web site: Grammy Awards 1963. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
4. Web site: Grammy Awards 1964. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
5. Web site: Grammy Awards 1965. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
6. Web site: Grammy Awards 1966. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
7. Web site: Grammy Awards 1967. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
8. Web site: Grammy Awards 1968. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
9. Web site: Grammy Awards 1969. AwardsandShows. February 14, 2021.
10. Web site: Grammy Awards 1970. AwardsandShows. February 15, 2021.
11. Web site: Grammy Awards 1971. AwardsandShows. February 15, 2021.
12. Web site: Grammy Awards 1972. AwardsandShows. February 16, 2021.
13. Web site: Grammy Awards 1973. AwardsandShows. February 16, 2021.
14. Web site: Grammy Awards 1974. AwardsandShows. February 16, 2021.
15. Web site: Grammy Awards 1975. AwardsandShows. February 16, 2021.
16. Web site: Grammy Awards 1976. AwardsandShows. February 16, 2021.
17. Web site: Grammy Awards 1977. AwardsandShows. February 16, 2021.
18. Web site: Grammy Awards 1978. AwardsandShows. February 17, 2021.
19. Web site: Grammy Awards 1979. AwardsandShows. February 17, 2021.
20. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1980 – Grammy Award Winners 1980 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
21. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1981 – Grammy Award Winners 1981 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
22. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1982 – Grammy Award Winners 1982 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
23. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1983 – Grammy Award Winners 1983 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
24. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1984 – Grammy Award Winners 1984 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
25. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1985 – Grammy Award Winners 1985 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
26. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1986 – Grammy Award Winners 1986 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
27. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1987 – Grammy Award Winners 1987 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
28. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1988 – Grammy Award Winners 1988 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
29. Web site: Grammy Award Nominees 1989 – Grammy Award Winners 1989 . www.awardsandshows.com . April 27, 2017.
30. Web site: 1990 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
31. Web site: 1991 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
32. Web site: 1992 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
33. Web site: 1993 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
34. Web site: 1994 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
35. Web site: 1995 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
36. Web site: 1996 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
37. Web site: 1997 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
38. Web site: 1998 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
39. Web site: 1999 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
40. Web site: 2000 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
41. Web site: 2001 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
42. Web site: 2002 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
43. Web site: 2003 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
44. Web site: 2004 Grammy Awards . www.infoplease.com . en . April 27, 2017.
45. Web site: Rock On The Net: 47th Annual Grammy Awards – 2005 . www.rockonthenet.com . April 27, 2017.
46. Web site: Rock On The Net: 48th Annual Grammy Awards – 2006 . www.rockonthenet.com . April 27, 2017.
47. Web site: Rock On The Net: 49th Annual Grammy Awards – 2007 . www.rockonthenet.com . April 27, 2017.
48. Web site: Rock On The Net: 50th Annual Grammy Awards – 2008 . www.rockonthenet.com . April 27, 2017.
49. Web site: Rock On The Net: 51st Annual Grammy Awards – 2009 . www.rockonthenet.com . April 27, 2017.
50. Grammy Awards 2010: The winners list . Bruno . Mike . . January 31, 2010 . April 27, 2017 . en-US.
51. Web site: Grammy Awards 2011: Winners and nominees for 53rd Grammy Awards . . March 12, 2014 . April 27, 2017 . en-US . 0458-3035.
52. Web site: Grammy Awards 2012: Complete Winners And Nominees List . THR Staff . . February 12, 2012 . April 27, 2017 . en.
53. Grammys 2013: Winners List . Billboard Staff . . February 10, 2013 . April 27, 2017 . en.
54. 56th GRAMMY Awards: Full Winners List . Billboard Staff . . January 26, 2014 . April 27, 2017 . en.
55. Grammys 2015: And the Winners Are ... . Billboard Staff . . February 8, 2015 . April 27, 2017 . en.
56. Grammy Awards 2016: See the Full Winners List . Billboard Staff . . February 15, 2016 . April 27, 2017 . en.
57. Web site: 2016 GRAMMY WINNERS . Grammy.com . April 27, 2017 . en.
58. Web site: 2018 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners List . Grammy.com . November 28, 2017 . November 30, 2017 . en.
59. Web site: 2018 GRAMMY WINNERS . Grammy.com . December 7, 2018 . en.
60. Web site: 2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners & Nominations List . Grammy.com . November 20, 2019 . January 26, 2020 . en.
61. Web site: 2021 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominees List . Grammy.com . November 24, 2020 . November 24, 2020 . en.
62. Web site: 2022 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Nominations List . Grammy.com . November 23, 2021 . November 23, 2021 . en.
63. Web site: 2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List . 2022-11-15 . www.grammy.com.
64. Web site: 2025 GRAMMYs: See The Full Nominations List GRAMMY.com . 2024-11-09 . grammy.com.