We have thousands of human-written stories, discussions, interviews and reviews from today through the past 20+ years. Find them here:
2026 Classical Grammys: Repeat Wins for Yo-Yo Ma; LA Phil & Gabriel Ortiz
It was a year for repeat wins, when it came to the classical Grammys, which were awarded at separate ceremony at the Peacock Theater before the televised 68th Grammy Awards Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma won his 20th Grammy (his 32nd nomination) in the category of Best Classical Instrumental Solo, for his recording of the Shostakovich Cello Concertos with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons.
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Photo by Mann.
And echoing last year, a three of the eight Classical Music Grammys went to an album recorded by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel of works by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, whose work garnered three Grammys in 2025. This year her opera "Yanga" won the Grammys for Best Choral Performance and Best Classical Compendium; while her cello concerto "Dzonot" from the same album won Best Contemporary Classical Composition. The concerto was written for and performed by cellist Alisa Weilerstein.
Performed by Gustavo Dudamel the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as Grant Gershon and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Yanga is an opera about Gaspar Yanga, the African-born leader of a band of formerly enslaved people who successfully resisted recapture by the Spanish in the early 17th century. (Listen here.)
"I’m deeply proud to have this recording be recognized with a Grammy Award," Dudamel said. "Yanga powerfully symbolizes the strength and resilience of those who fight for freedom, and offers a reminder of the enduring struggle against oppression that continues to this day. This is music that resonates with the rhythms of culture, nature, and humanity.
Ortiz's cello concerto Dzonot was written for and performed by cellist Alisa Weilerstein and appears on the same recording as "Yanga." (Listen here.)
Here are all the Classical Grammys awarded Sunday. (Find the Grammy awards in all categories here.)
Best Orchestral Performance
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie
Boston Symphony Orchestra; Andris Nelsons, conductor
Best Opera Recording
Heggie: Intelligence
Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer
Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J'Nai Bridges & Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer
Best Choral Performance
Gabriel Ortiz: Yanga
Los Angeles Philharmonic & Tambuco Percussion Ensemble; Los Angeles Master Chorale
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, chorus master
Best Chamber Performance
Donnacha Dennehy: Land Of Winter
Alan Pierson & Alarm Will Sound
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos
Yo-Yo Ma
Boston Symphony Orchestra; Andris Nelsons, conductor
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Telemann: Ino - Opera Arias For Soprano
Amanda Forsythe, soloist
Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra; Robert Mealy, Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors
Best Classical Compendium
Gabriel Ortiz: Yanga
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Gabriel Ortiz: Dzonot
Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic
Gabriela Ortiz, composer
You might also like:
- Dudamel and LA Phil Win Three 2025 Grammys
- Harlem Quartet, Jessie Montgomery Win 2024 Grammys
- Time for Three, Attacca Quartet, NY Youth Symphony Win 2023 Grammys
* * *
Enjoying Violinist.com? Click here to sign up for our free, bi-weekly email newsletter. And if you've already signed up, please invite your friends! Thank you.
Replies
You must be registered and logged in to submit a comment.
