The award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition went to the world premiere recording of Christopher Rouse’s Fifth Symphony (8.559852), performed by the Nashville Symphony under Giancarlo Guerrero. The symphony fondly recalls Beethoven’s mighty Fifth but blurs the lines between tradition and modernity, transporting the listener from turbulence to serenity. The work was described as “brilliant, exciting and at times hauntingly beautiful” by The Dallas Morning News.

The award for Best Choral Performance went to a recording of Richard Danielpour’s dramatic oratorio The Passion of Yeshua (8.559885-86), with the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra, and the UCLA Chamber Singers conducted by JoAnn Falletta. The release also received nominations for Best Contemporary Classical Composition and Best Engineered Album (Classical). Soloists include soprano Hila Plitmann, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, tenor Timothy Fallon, and baritones Matthew Worth, Kenneth Overton and James K. Bass. Fanfare judged the recording “a superb production and a jewel in Naxos’ crown.”