February 2, 2026

The 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony took place on February 1 — among the winning Grammy Award projects, eight MSM alumni were eligible contributors, whom we feature here. In all, nearly 60 nominees for the 2026 awards were eligible contributors from the MSM Community, and many more participated in nominated and winning projects.

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony honored winning and nominated recordings, compositions, and artists for work released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025, as chosen by the members of the Recording Academy.

The prestigious industry event was aired live on CBS on February 1, 2026.

Discover below the winning and nominated eligible contributors from the MSM Community, including MSM faculty members and alumni. See the full list of 2026 Grammy Award recipients and nominees here.

JAZZ WINNERS

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Southern Nights – Sullivan Fortner (MM ’10), primary artist, piano

Production, Engineering, Composition, and Arrangement Winner

BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION

“First Snow” – Remy Le Boeuf (BM ’07, MM ’10), composer

CLASSICAL WINNERS

BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE

Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie
Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

MSM alumni in Boston Symphony Orchestra:

• Clint Foreman (MM ’05), Flute
• Bracha Malkin (PC ’98), Violin II
• Alexander Velinzon (’93), Associate Concertmaster
• Keisuke Wakao (PD ’88), Assistant Principal Oboe
• Yuncong Zhang (PS ’10), Violin I

BEST OPERA RECORDING

Heggie: Intelligence
Kwamé Ryan, conductor; Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges (BM ’09) & Janai Brugger; Blanton Alspaugh, producer: J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano soloist as Lucinda (primary artist)

We also celebrate the many eligible contributors from the MSM Community who were nominated for 2026 Grammy Awards.

Jazz Nominees

BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM

We Insist 2025! – Terri Lyne Carrington (HonDMA ’20), primary artist, drum set; Christie Dashiell (MM ’13), primary artist, vocals

BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Spirit Fall – John Patitucci Featuring Chris Potter (MM ’92) & Brian Blade. Chris Potter (MM ’92): primary artist, soprano & tenor saxophones, bass clarinet

Fasten Up – Yellowjackets (Bob Mintzer [’74], tenor saxophone and EWI)

BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM

Orchestrator Emulator – 8-Bit Big Band. MSM alumni in 8-Bit Big Band:

• Andrew Gould (MM ’10), alto saxophone, flute
• Wilson Torres (BM ’02, MM ’05; current faculty), percussion
• Mark Dover (MM ’12), clarinet
• Paul Jones (MM ’11), tenor saxophone, clarinet
• Adison Evans (MM ’19), baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
• Jimmy O’Connell (MM ’11), trombone
• Kyra Sims (MM ’12), French horn
• Kenny Bentley (MM ’01), tuba
• Laura Sacks (MM ’15), viola
• Tia Allen (PS ’10, PD ’12), viola
• Jay Julio (BM ’18), viola
• Midori Witowski (BM ’11, MM ’16), viola
• Sam Quiggins (BM ’11), cello
• Adam Neely (MM ’12), bass
• Michael Olatuja (MM ’06), bass

Lumen – Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band. MSM alumni in Bohuslän Big Band: Alberto Pinton (’95), Reed 5

BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM

The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico – Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. MSM alumni in Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra:

• Arturo O’ Farrill (PC ’75)
• Rafi Malkiel (MM ’00)

Mundoagua – Celebrating Carla Bley – Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. MSM alumni in Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra:

• Arturo O’ Farrill (PC ’75)
• Rafi Malkiel (MM ’00)

Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard – Miguel Zenón Quartet. MSM alumni in Miguel Zenón Quartet:

• Miguel Zenón (MM ’01), alto saxophone
• Luis Perdomo (BM ’97), piano
• Hans Glawischnig (MM ’94), bass

BEST ALTERNATIVE JAZZ ALBUM

Honey from a winter stone – Ambrose Akinmusire (BM ’05), primary artist, trumpet

BEST CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM

Ones & Twos – Gerald Clayton (’05), primary artist, piano

Production, Engineering, Composition and Arrangement Nominees:

BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION

“Live Life This Day: Movement I” – Miho Hazama (MM ’12), composer

BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS

“A Child Is Born” – Remy Le Boeuf (BM ’07, MM ’10), arranger

Classical Nominees:

BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE

Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L’Ouverture; Ballade Op. 4; Suites From ’24 Negro Melodies’– Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic). MSM alumni in National Philharmonic: Katherine Ceasar-Spall (MM ’85), 2^nd Oboe

Still & Bonds – Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra). MSM alumni in The Philadelphia Orchestra: Daniel Matsukawa (PC ’84), Principal Bassoon

Stravinsky: Symphony In Three Movements – Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony). MSM alumni in San Francisco Symphony:

• Blair Francis Paponiu (PS ’15), Associate Principal Flute
• Scott Pingel (MM ’99, PS ’00), Principal Bass

BEST OPERA RECORDING

Huang Ruo: An American Soldier – Carolyn Kuan, conductor; Hannah Cho, Alex DeSocio, Nina Yoshida Nelsen & Brian Vu; Adam Abeshouse (MM ’85), Silas Brown & Doron Schachter (PC ’92, ’93), producers

BEST CHAMBER MUSIC/SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

Slavic Sessions – Yuja Wang; Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra). MSM alumni in Boston Symphony Orchestra:

• Clint Foreman (MM ’05), Flute
• Bracha Malkin (PC ’98), Violin II
• Alexander Velinzon (’93), Associate Concertmaster
• Keisuke Wakao (PD ’88), Assistant Principal Oboe
• Yuncong Zhang (PS ’10), Violin I

BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM

Alike – My Mother’s Dream – Allison Charney, soloist; Benjamin Loeb, conductor (National Symphony Orchestra). MSM alumni in National Symphony Orchestra:

• Xiaoxuan Shi (MM ’22), 2^nd Assistant Concertmaster
• Marina Aikawa (MM ’19), 1^st Violin

Schubert Beatles – Theo Hoffman, soloist; Steven Blier, pianist (Rupert Boyd, Julia Bullock, Alex Levine, Andrew Owens, Rubén Rengel & Sam Weber). Rupert Boyd (MM ’06), guitar; Rubén Rengel (PS ’20), violin

Black Pierrot – Sidney Outlaw (Vocal Arts faculty), soloist; Warren Jones (Faculty Emeritus), pianist

BEST CLASSICAL COMPENDIUM

Cerrone: Don’t Look Down – Sandbox Percussion; Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Christopher Cerrone, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney & Mike Tierney, producers. Christopher Cerrone (BM ’07), composer

BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION

Cerrone: Don’t Look Down – Christopher Cerrone (BM ’07), composer