Grammys classical winners: 'Steve Jobs,' Boston Symphony, Laurie Anderson with Kronos Quartet

The team behind opera recording winner "The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs," including composer Mason Bates, second from right, and Edward Parks, who played Jobs, far right, pose backstage at the Grammy Awards' pre-telecast ceremony Sunday at Microsoft Theater in L.A.

By Los Angeles Times staff writer

Feb. 10, 2019 5:05 PM PT

The new Mason Bates opera “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” and the Laurie Anderson-Kronos Quartet collaboration “Landfall” were among the classical music winners at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, while the Violin Concerto by Aaron Jay Kernis and the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recording of two Shostakovich symphonies won two trophies each.

The winners in classical categories announced during a ceremony held before the prime-time telecast:

Opera recording

Winner: “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” (Mason Bates), Michael Christie conductor; Sasha Cooke, Jessica E. Jones, Edwards Parks, Garrett Sorenson & Wei Wu; Elizabeth Ostrow producer (The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)

Other nominees:

“Doctor Atomic” (John Adams), John Adams conductor; Aubrey Allicock, Julia Bullock, Gerald Finley & Brindley Sherratt; Friedemann Engelbrecht producer (BBC Symphony Orchestra; BBC Singers)

“Alceste” (John-Baptiste Lully), Christophe Rousset conductor; Edwin Crossley-Mercer, Emiliano Gonzalez Toro & Judith Van Wanroij; Maximilien Ciup producer (Les Talens Lyriques; Choeur De Chambre De Namur)

“Der Rosenkavalier” (Strauss), Sebastian Weigle conductor; Renee Fleming, Elina Garanca, Gunther Groissbock & Erin Morley; David Frost producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

“Rigoletto” (Verdi), Constantine Orbelian conductor; Francesco Demuro, Dmitri Hvorostovsky & Nadine Sierra; Vilius Keras & Aleksandra Keriene producers (Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra; Men of the Kaunas State Choir)

FROM THE ARCHIVE: Times critic Mark Swed’s review of “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” »

Orchestral performance

Winner: Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11, Andris Nelsons conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Other nominees:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1, Manfred Honeck conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Nielsen: Sympony No. 3 & Symphony No. 4, Thomas Dausgaard conductor (Seattle Symphony)

Ruggles, Stucky & Harrison: Orchestral Works, David Alan Miller conductor (National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic)

Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4, Michael Tilson Thomas conductor (San Francisco Symphony)

Choral performance

Winner: “Zealot Canticles” (Lansing McLoskey), Donald Nally conductor (Doris Hall-Gulati, Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval & Mandy Wolman; The Crossing)

Other nominees:

“Teach Me Thy Statutes” (Pavel Chesnokov), Vladimir Gorbik conductor (Mikhail Davydov & Vladimir Krasov; PaTRAM Institute Male Choir)

“Memory Eternal” (Alexander Kastalsky), Steven Fox conductor (The Clarion Choir)

“The Bells” (Rachmaninov), Mariss Jansons conductor; Peter Dijkstra chorus master (Oleg Dolgov, Alexey Markov & Tatiana Pavlovskaya; Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)

“Seven Words From the Cross,” Matthew Guard conductor (Skylark)

Chamber music/small ensemble performance

Winner: “Landfall” (Laurie Anderson), Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet

Other nominees:

Beethoven, Shostakovich & Bach, the Danish String Quartet

Blueprinting, Aizuri Quartet

The Rite of Spring Concerto for Two Pianos (Stravinsky), Leif Ove Andsnes & Marc-André Hamelin

Visions and Variations, A Far Cry

FROM THE ARCHIVE: Laurie Anderson, in L.A. and talking of life and loss »

Classical instrumental solo

Winner: Violin Concerto (Aaron Jay Kernis). James Ehnes; Ludovic Morlot conductor (Seattle

Symphony)

Other nominees:

Piano Concerto No. 2 (Bartok), Yuja Wang; Simon Rattle conductor (Berliner Philharmoniker)

The Mystery Sonatas (Biber), Christina Day Martinson; Martin Pearlman conductor (Boston Baroque)

Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46, Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26 (Bruch), Joshua Bell (The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields)

“Three Pieces in the Shape of a Square” (Glass), Craig Morris

Classical solo vocal album

Winner: “Songs of Orhpeus — Monteverdi, Caccini, D’Indi & Landi,” Karim Sulayman; Jeannette Sorrell conductor; Apollo’s Fire, ensembles

Other nominees:

“Arc,” Anthony Roth Costanzo; Jonathan Cohen conductor (Les Violons Du Roy)

“The Handel Album,” Philippe Jaroussky; Artaserse, ensemble

“Mirages,” Sabine Devieilhe; François-Xavier Roth conductor (Alexandre Tharaud; Marianne Crebassa & Jodie Devos; Les Siècles)

“Winterreise” (Schubert), Randall Scarlata; Gilbert Kalish, accompanist

Classical compendium

Winner: Fuchs: Piano Concerto “Spiritualist”; Poems of Life; Glacier; Rush. JoAnn Falletta conductor; Tim Handley producer

Other nominees:

“Gold,” the King’s Singers; Nigel Short producer

“The John Adams Edition,” Simon Rattle conductor; Christoph Franke producer

“John Williams at the Movies,” Jerry Junkin conductor; Donald J. McKinney producer

Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto; Oboe Concerto; Serenade to Music; Flos Campi; Peter Oundjian conductor; Blanton Alspaugh producer

GRAMMYS 2019: Complete coverage of winners, performances and more »

Contemporary classical composition

Winner: Violin Concerto, Aaron Jay Kernis composer (James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony)

Other nominees:

“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs,” Mason Bates composer; Mark Campbell librettist (Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edwards Parks, Jessica E. Jones & Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)

“Air Glow,” Du Yun composer (International Contemporary Ensemble)

“Great Scott,” Jake Heggie composer; Terrence McNally librettist (Patrick Summers, Manuel Palazzo, Mark Hancock, Michael Mayes, Rodell Rosel, Kevin Burdette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade, Ailyn Pérez, Joyce DiDonato, Dallas Opera Chorus & Orchestra)

“Vespers for Violin,” Missy Mazzoli composer (Olivia De Prato)

Engineered album, classical

Winner: Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11, Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire engineers; Tim Martyn mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Other nominees:

“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” (Mason Bates), Mark Donahue & Dirk Sobotka engineers; Mark Donahue mastering engineer (Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edwards Parks, Jessica E. Jones & Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)

Beethoven Symphony No. 3, Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1; Mark Donahue engineer; Mark Donahue mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

John Williams at the Movies, Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson mastering engineer (Jerry Junkin & Dallas Winds)

Liquid Melancholy — Clarinet Music of James M. Stephenson, Bill Maylone & Mary Mazurek engineers; Bill Maylone mastering engineer (John Bruce Yeh)

Visions and Variations, Tom Caulfield, engineer; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (A Far Cry)