The award has had several minor name changes:
2000s Grammy Awards of 2003 Steve Barnett (producer), Preston Smith (engineer), John Tavener (composer), Joseph Jennings (conductor), Chanticleer & the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston for Tavener: Lamentations and Praises Grammy Awards of 2002 Christopher Rouse (composer), Muhai Tang (conductor), Sharon Isbin & the Gulbenkian Orchestra for Concert de Gaudí for Guitar and Orchestra Grammy Awards of 2001 George Crumb (composer) & Thomas Conlin for Crumb: Star-Child Grammy Awards of 2000 Pierre Boulez (composer) & the Ensemble Inter-Contemporain for Boulez: Répons 1990s Grammy Awards of 1999 Krzysztof Penderecki (composer & conductor), Anne-Sophie Mutter & the London Symphony Orchestra for Penderecki: Violin Concerto No. 2, Metamorphosen Grammy Awards of 1998 Best Classical Contemporary Composition John Adams (composer), Kent Nagano (conductor) & the Hallé Orchestra for "Adams: El Dorado" Grammy Awards of 1997 John Corigliano (composer) & the Cleveland Quartet for Corigliano: String Quartet Grammy Awards of 1996 Olivier Messiaen (composer) & Myung-Whun Chung (conductor) for Messiaen: Concert a Quatre Grammy Awards of 1995 Stephen Albert (composer), David Zinman (conductor) & Yo-Yo Ma for Albert: Cello Concerto Grammy Awards of 1994 Elliott Carter (composer), Oliver Knussen (conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra for Carter: Violin Concerto Grammy Awards of 1993 Samuel Barber (composer), Andrew Schnenck (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Barber: The Lovers Grammy Awards of 1992 John Corigliano (composer), Daniel Barenboim (conductor) & the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for Corigliano: Symphony No. 1 Grammy Awards of 1991 Leonard Bernstein (composer), Judy Kaye & William Sharp for Bernstein: Arias & Barcarolles Grammy Awards of 1990 Steve Reich (composer) & the Kronos Quartet for Reich: Different Trains 1980s Grammy Awards of 1989 John Adams (composer), Edo De Waart (conductor) & the San Francisco Symphony for Adams: Nixon in China Grammy Awards of 1988 Krzysztof Penderecki (composer & conductor), Mstislav Rostropovich & the Philharmonia Orchestra for Penderecki: Cello Concerto No. 2 Grammy Awards of 1987 Witold Lutoslawski (composer) & Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor) for Lutoslawski: Symphony No. 3 Grammy Awards of 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer), Sarah Brightman & Placido Domingo for Lloyd Webber: Requiem Grammy Awards of 1985 Samuel Barber (composer) & Christian Badea (conductor) for Antony and Cleopatra 1960s Grammy Awards of 1966 Charles Ives (composer) for Ives: Symphony No. 4 conducted by Leopold Stokowski Grammy Awards of 1965 Samuel Barber (composer) for Concerto performed by John Browning Grammy Awards of 1964 Benjamin Britten (composer & conductor) & the London Symphony Orchestra for Britten: War Requiem Grammy Awards of 1963 Igor Stravinsky (composer and conductor) for Stravinsky: The Flood Grammy Awards of 1962 Laurindo Almeida (composer and artist) for Discantus Igor Stravinsky (composer and artist) for Stravinsky: Movements for Piano and Orchestra Grammy Awards of 1961 Aaron Copland (composer & conductor) & the Boston Symphony Orchestra for Orchestral Suite From Tender Land Suite