| Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance | |
| Awarded For: | quality performances by a small ensemble |
| Presenter: | National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |
| Country: | United States |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Holder: | Attacca Quartet – Shaw: Evergreen (2023) |
| Website: | grammy.com |
The Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance (from 2013: Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance) has been awarded since 1997. In its early years, its title included the addition "(with or without a conductor)".
In 1991 the Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance also included small ensemble performances.
In 2012 the category was combined with the Best Chamber Music Performance category.
The restructuring of these categories was a result of the Recording Academy's wish to decrease the list of categories and awards. According to the Academy, "the Chamber category was folded into the Small Ensemble category, the only distinction having been the number of players in the group (Chamber being smaller), and the fact that Small Ensemble recording could, though not necessarily, employ a conductor." [1] In the new structure, recordings are eligible if the ensemble contains 24 or fewer members, not including the conductor.
In 2013, the category was renamed as Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance.
The award goes to the winning ensemble and its conductor (if applicable). The producer(s) and engineer(s) also receive an award if they have worked on over 50% of playing time on the album.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
| Year | Recipient(s) | Work | Nominees | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Boulez: ...Explosante-Fixe... | [2] | |||
| 1998 | Claudio Abbado (conductor), Berliner Philharmonic | "Hindemith: Kammermusik No. 1 With Finale 1921, Op. 24, No. 1" | [3] | ||
| 1999 | Steve Reich (conductor), Steve Reich and Musicians | Reich: Music for 18 Musicians | [4] | ||
| 2000 | Colors of Love - Works of Thomas, Stucky, Tavener & Rands | [5] | |||
| 2001 | Shadow Dances (Stravinsky Miniatures - Tango; Suite No. 1; Octet, etc.) | [6] | |||
| 2002 | After Mozart | [7] | |||
| 2003 | Tavener Lamentations and Praises | [8] | |||
| 2004 | "Chávez: Suite for Double Quartet" | [9] | |||
| 2005 | Chávez - Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 2 | [10] | |||
| 2006 | Boulez Le Marteau Sans Maître, Dérive 1 & 2 | [11] | |||
| 2007 | Peter Rutenberg (conductor) and Los Angeles Chamber Singers' Cappella | Padilla: Sun of Justice | [12] | ||
| 2008 | Yuri Bashmet (conductor) and Moscow Soloists; Michael Brammann, engineer; Philipp Nedel, producer | Stravinsky Apollo, Concerto In D; Prokofiev: 20 Visions Fugitives | [13] | ||
| 2009 | Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary | [14] | |||
| 2010 | Paul Hillier (conductor); Robina G. Young, producer; Brad Michel, engineer/mixer and Ars Nova Copenhagen & Theatre of Voices | Lang, David: The Little Match Girl Passion | [15] | ||
| 2011 | Dinastia Borja | [16] | |||
| 2012 | Rinde Eckert (librettist/performer); Steven Mackey (composer/performer); David Frost, producer; Eighth Blackbird | Mackey Lonely Motel - Music from Slide | [17] | ||
| 2013 | Eighth Blackbird | Meanwhile | [18] | ||
| 2014 | Roomful of Teeth | [19] | |||
| 2015 | Hilary Hahn & Cory Smythe | In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores | [20] | ||
| 2016 | Filament | [21] | |||
| 2017 | Steve Reich | [22] | |||
| 2018 | Patricia Kopatchinskaja & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra | Death & the Maiden | [23] | ||
| 2019 | Laurie Anderson & the Kronos Quartet | Landfall | [24] | ||
| 2020 | Attacca Quartet (ensemble); Antonio Oliart & Caroline Shaw (producers); Antonio Oliart (engineer) | Shaw: Orange | [25] | ||
| 2021 | Pacifica Quartet
| Contemporary Voices | [26] | ||
| 2022 | Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax | Beethoven Cello Sonatas - Hope and Tears | [27] | ||
| 2023 | Attacca Quartet | Shaw Evergreen | [28] | ||
| 2024 | Roomful of Teeth | Rough Magic |
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