Classical Music News

Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja & Composer Jennifer Higdon Awarded 2018 Grammys

January 29, 2018

5 MIN READ

The 2018 Grammy Award winners have been announced - including violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and composer Jennifer Higdon

The winners of the 2018 60th Annual Grammy Awards have been announced in New York City – including experimental Moldovan-Austrian violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and celebrated American composer Jennifer Higdon.

The 2018 'Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance' Grammy Award was presented to violin virtuoso Patricia Kopatchinskaja and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra - for their innovative string ensemble arrangement of Schubert's 'Death & The Maiden' on the Alpha Classics label.

PATRICIA KOPATCHINSKAJA | SCHUBERT | DEATH AND THE MAIDEN | THE SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | ALPHA CLASSICS

The 'Best Contemporary Classical Composition' Grammy Award was awarded to American composer Jennifer Higdon for her 'Higdon Viola Concerto'- released with viola soloist Robert Diaz, conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and the Nashville Symphony on the Naxos label.

The concerto was co-commissioned by the Library of Congress and the Curtis Institute of Music - where she serves a faculty position.

Jennifer was awarded her first Grammy in 2009 in the same category for her 'Percussion Concerto'.

ROBERTO DIAZ | HIGDON VIOLA CONCERTO | 1ST MVT | GIANCARLO GUERRERO & NASHVILLE SYMPHONY | NAXOS

ROBERTO DIAZ | HIGDON VIOLA CONCERTO | 2ND MVT | GIANCARLO GUERRERO & NASHVILLE SYMPHONY | NAXOS

ROBERTO DIAZ | HIGDON VIOLA CONCERTO | 3RD MVT | GIANCARLO GUERRERO & NASHVILLE SYMPHONY | NAXOS

The entire Jennifer Higdon disc 'Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto,' produced by Tim Handley and with oboist James Button, was also awarded a 2018 Grammy Award for the 'Best Classical Compendium' release.

The 'Best Classical Instrumental Solo' Grammy was awarded to Russian piano virtuoso Daniil Trifonov for his album 'Transcendental' - on the Deutsche Grammophon label.

The 'Best Orchestral Performance' Grammy was awarded to conductor Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - for their recording of 'Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio' - on the Reference Recordings label.

The 'Best Opera Recording' Grammy was awarded to conductor Hans Graf for his release of 'Berg: Wozzeck' with soprano Anne Schwanewilms & baritone Roman Trekel - on the Naxos Label.

The 'Classical Producer of the Year' Grammy was awarded to record producer and pianist David Frost.

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