The Classical Grammy Awards were handed out on Feb. 10 at the Pre-Telecast awards ceremony.
The Academy of Music handed out ten awards in various different categories including Best Producer and Best Vocal Artist.
Renee Fleming won her Fourth Grammy for her 2012 Album "Poemes" featuring music of Ravel, Messiaen and Dutilleux. The album was conducted by Alan Gilbert and Seji Ozawa.
The Metropolitan Opera's Ring Cycle won the award for the Best Opera Recording. The award was shared between producer Jay David Saks; conductors James Levine and Fabio Luisi; and singers, Deborah Voigt, Jay Hunter Morris, Bryn Terfel, and Hans Peter Konig. Michael Tilson Thomas won the Best Orchestral Performance award for his album "Adams Harmonielehre & Short Ride In A Fast Machine." The Best Choral Performance recognition went to conductor Charles Bruffy and the Kansas City Chorus for their work on the album "Life & Breath - Choral Works By René Clausen." The album also won Best Engineered Album.
The ensemble Eighth Blackbird won the Best Chamber Ensemble for their album "Meanwhile." The ensemble also performed from their CD shortly before the Classical awards were handed out. Kim Kashkashian took home the award for Best Instrumental Solo while Stephen Hartke won for Best Contemporary Composition.
The Best Classical Compendium recognition went to Anton Wit Aleksandra Nagórko and Andrzej Sasin for "Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis." Blanton Alspaugh won the Producer of the year award for his work on Life & Breath - Choral Works By René Clausen, Music For A Time Of War, Musto: The Inspector, Chamber Symphonies, and In Paradisum.