The Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition was first handed out in 1961. Over the years the Recording Academy has made a few changes in the title of the award. It was known as Best Contemporary Classical Composition for the first two years after its introduction. In 1966 and 1964 it was awarded as Best Composition by a Contemporary Classical Composer. It was renamed in 1986 to Best Contemporary Composition, in 1995 to the present it has been awarded as Best Classical Contemporary Composition. In 2009 the rules were changed and if the award was won by an opera, it was presented to both the composer and the librettist. The award was not given out from 1967 to 1984.

Winners: Grammys Best Classical Contemporary Composition

Year
Winner/s
Composition
2009
John Corigliano (composer)
Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan performed by JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
2008
Joan Tower (composer)
Made in America performed by Leonard Slatkin & Nashville Symphony Orchestra
2007
Osvaldo Golijov (composer)
Ainadamar: Fountain Of Tears performed by Robert Spano
2006
William Bolcom (composer)
Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience performed by Leonard Slatkin
2005
John Adams (composer)
On the Transmigration of Souls performed by Lorin Maazel, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, New York Choral Artists & the New York Philharmonic
2004
Dominick Argento (composer)
"Argento: Casa Guidi" performed by Frederica von Stade, Eiji Oue & the Minnesota Orchestra
2003
Steve Barnett (producer), Preston Smith (engineer), John Tavener (composer), Joseph Jennings (conductor), Chanticleer & the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston
Tavener: Lamentations and Praises
2002
Christopher Rouse (composer), Muhai Tang (conductor), Sharon Isbin & the Gulbenkian Orchestra
Concert de Gaudí - Guitar and Orchestra
2001
George Crumb (composer) & Thomas Conlin
Crumb: Star-Child
2000
Pierre Boulez (composer) & the Ensemble Inter-Contemporain
Boulez: Répons
1999
Krzysztof Penderecki (composer & conductor), Anne-Sophie Mutter & the London Symphony Orchestra
Penderecki: Violin Concerto No. 2, Metamorphosen
1998
John Adams (composer), Kent Nagano (conductor) & the Hallé Orchestra
Adams: El Dorado
1997
John Corigliano (composer) & the Cleveland Quartet
Corigliano: String Quartet
1996
Olivier Messiaen (composer) & Myung-Whun Chung (conductor)
Messiaen: Concert a Quatre
1995
Stephen Albert (composer), David Zinman (conductor) & Yo-Yo Ma
Albert: Cello Concerto
1994
Elliott Carter (composer), Oliver Knussen (conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra
Carter: Violin Concerto
1993
Samuel Barber (composer), Andrew Schnenck (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Barber: The Lovers
1992
John Corigliano (composer), Daniel Barenboim (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Corigliano: Symphony No. 1
1991
Leonard Bernstein (composer), Judy Kaye & William Sharp
Bernstein: Arias & Barcarolles
1990
Steve Reich (composer) & the Kronos Quartet
Reich: Different Trains
1989
John Adams (composer), Edo de Waart (conductor) & the San Francisco Symphony
Adams: Nixon in China
1988
Krzysztof Penderecki (composer & conductor), Mstislav Rostropovich & the Philharmonia Orchestra
Penderecki: Cello Concerto No. 2
1987
Witold Lutos³awski (composer) & Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
Lutos³awski: Symphony No. 3
1986
Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer), Sarah Brightman & Plácido Domingo
Lloyd Webber: Requiem
1985
Samuel Barber (composer) & Christian Badea (conductor)
Antony and Cleopatra
1966
Charles Ives (composer)
Ives: Symphony No. 4 conducted by Leopold Stokowski
1965
Samuel Barber (composer)
Concerto performed by John Browning
1964
Benjamin Britten (composer & conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: War Requiem
1963
Igor Stravinsky (composer and conductor)
Stravinsky: The Flood
1962
Laurindo Almeida (composer and artist)
Discantus
Igor Stravinsky (composer and artist)
Stravinsky: Movements
Piano and Orchestra
1961
Aaron Copland (composer & conductor) & the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Orchestral Suite from The Tender Land Suite