The 67th Grammy Awards brought its usual spectacle to the Crypto.com Arena last night, and while pop stars grabbed headlines, classical music had its own moment to shine.
The night’s classical champion
Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz emerged as the evening’s standout, scoring a remarkable triple win with Revolución Diamantina. The album, featuring the LA Phil and LA Master Chorale under Gustavo Dudamel, swept ‘Best Classical Compendium,’ ‘Best Contemporary Classical Composition,’ and ‘Best Orchestral Performance.’ (Fun fact: It’s also up for a BBC Music Magazine Award this year.)
First-timers and familiar faces
Icelandic piano virtuoso Víkingur Ólafsson finally claimed his first Grammy, taking home ‘Best Classical Instrumental Solo’ for his fresh take on Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Meanwhile, soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann won hearts (and ‘Best Classical Solo Vocal Album’) with their collection of previously unpublished Florence Price songs, Beyond the Years.
From the opera house to the movie theater
The late Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater earned ‘Best Opera Recording’ for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. And speaking of drama, Hans Zimmer picked up his fifth Grammy for Dune: Part Two’s score – a nice consolation after that surprising Oscar snub.
Other notable wins
- The Crossing choir’s Ochre (Best Choral Performance)
- Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion’s Rectangles & Circumstance (Best Chamber Music)
- Maestro’s soundtrack, featuring Leonard Bernstein’s works (Best Compilation Soundtrack)
The full winners list is up at grammy.com, for those keeping score at home.
PS: Yes, the ceremony was still incredibly long. Some things never change.
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