Speculation has started to mount on who will win at the major 55th Annual Grammy Awards this Sunday. However, little attention has been given to the eight classical music awards.
This year the nominees for Best Orchestral Performance include conductors Valery Gergiev, Ivan Fischer, Michael Tilson Thomas and Osmo Vanska.
Three DVD recordings are nominated in the Best Opera Recording. The Grand Liceu's production of "Lulu" starring Patricia Petibon and the Metropolitan Opera's Ring Cycle are among the nominees. The Glyndebourne production of "The Rake's Progress" is the final DVD contender. Rounding out the category are CD releases: Harmonia Mundi's rendition of Handel's "Agrippina" and Naïve Classique's performance of Vivaldi's "Teuzzone."
The Best Classical Instrumental Solo nominees are pianist Andras Schiff for his Bach album, and cellist Antonio Meneses for his Elgar and Gal cello concertos. Jory Vinikour (Complete Harpischord works of Rameau), Kim Kashkashian (Kurtag and Ligetti: Music for Viola) and Hansjorg Albrecht (Holst: The planets) round out the nominees.
The Best Classical Vocal Solo nominees include four superstar Opera singers: Grammy winners Joyce Didonato (Homecoming-Kansas City) and Renee Fleming (Poemes) are among those in competition. The other nominees include Natalie Dessay (Debussy: Clair de Lune), Anne Sofie Von Otter (Sogno Barocco) and lesser known Ute Lemper (Paris Days).
The Best Choral Performance nominees are Peter Eotvos (Ligeti Requiem), Stephen Layton (The Nightingale), Julian Wachner (Handel: Israel in Egypt) and Charles Bruffy (Life and Death by Rene Clausen).
In the Chamber Ensemble category are the Modern Mandolin Quartet (Americana), the Eighth Blackbird (Meanwhile), the ZOFO Duet (Mind Meld), the Boston Symphony Chamber Players (Profane et Sacrees), and the Los Angele Percussion Quartet (Rupa-Khandha).
Three nominees comprise the Best Classical Compendium. Emmanuelle Haim (Une Fete Baroque), Antoni Wit (Penderecki Horn Concerto) and the ensemble Partch (Bitter Music) will compete for the award.
The final category that will be handed out is the Best Contemporary Classical Composition, which awards the composers on their new pieces. The nominees this year are Stephen Hartke (Meanwhile - Incidental Music To Imaginary Puppet Plays), Tania Leon ( Inura For Voices, Strings & Percussion), Ugis Praulins (The Nightingale), Einojuhani Rautavaara (Cello Concerto No. 2 'Towards The Horizon') and Steven Stucky (August 4, 1964).
The classical Grammys will be handed out in a private ceremony and will be announced online on Sunday.