Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance

The Grammy Award for Best 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.

2012 overhaul

From 2012, the category will be 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." In the new structure, recordings are eligible if the ensemble contains 24 or fewer members, not including the conductor. There is one award for the ensemble and one for the conductor, if applicable.

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

2010s

• Grammy Awards of 2012

Nominees

• Gabriela Frank (composer and performer) and Alias Chamber Ensemble for Frank: Hilos
• Richard Savino (conductor) and El Mundo for The Kingdoms of Castille
• Rinde Eckert (librettist/performer) & Steven Mackey (composer/performer) and Eighth Blackbird for Lonely Motel - Music from Slide
• Patrick Dupré Quigley (conductor) and Seraphic Fire for A Seraphic Fire Christmas
• The Bay Brass for Sound The Bells!

• Grammy Awards of 2011
  • Hespèrion XXI & La Capella Reial de Catalunya (Jordi Savall, conductor) for Dinastia Borja

2000s

• Grammy Awards of 2006
  • Pierre Boulez (conductor) & Hilary Summers, Ensemble Intercontemporain for Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maître, Dérive 1 & 2
• Grammy Awards of 2005
  • Jeff von der Schmidt (conductor) & Southwest Chamber Music for Chávez - Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 2
• Grammy Awards of 2004
  • Jeff von der Schmidt (conductor) & Southwest Chamber Music for "Chávez: Suite for Double Quartet"
• Grammy Awards of 2003
  • Steve Barnett (producer), Preston Smith (engineer), Joseph Jennings (conductor), Chanticleer & the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston for Tavener: Lamentations and Praises
• Grammy Awards of 2002
  • Helmut Mühle (producer), Philipp Nedel (engineer), Gidon Kremer (producer & artist) & Kremerata Baltica for After Mozart
• Grammy Awards of 2001
  • Christian Gausch (producer), Wolf-Dieter Karwatky (engineer) & the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for Shadow Dances (Stravinsky Miniatures - Tango; Suite No. 1; Octet, etc.)
• Grammy Awards of 2000
  • Joseph Jennings (conductor) & Chanticleer for Colors of Love - Works of Thomas, Stucky, Tavener & Rands

1990s

• Grammy Awards of 1999
  • Steve Reich (conductor) for Reich: Music for 18 Musicians performed by Steve Reich and Musicians
• Grammy Awards of 1998
  • Claudio Abbado (conductor) for "Hindemith: Kammermusik No. 1 With Finale 1921, Op. 24 No. 1" performed by members of the Berliner Philharmonic
• Grammy Awards of 1997
  • Pierre Boulez (conductor) & the Ensemble Inter-Contemporain for Boulez: ...Explosante-Fixe...