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A visual history · Grammys

The winners who defined Chamber/Small Ensemble.

26 ceremonies, 2000–2025. 22 different winners. The longest run belongs to Jeff von der Schmidt, with 2 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Caroline Shaw & So Percussion in 2025 for Rectangles and Circumstance.
Who has won the most?
Attacca Quartet, Eighth Blackbird, Jeff von der Schmidt and Joseph Jennings, tied on 2 wins each.
  1. Rectangles and CircumstanceCaroline Shaw & So Percussion
  2. Rough MagicRoomful of Teeth
  3. Shaw: EvergreenAttacca Quartet
  4. Beethoven: Cello Sonatas - Hope Amid TearsYo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax
  5. Contemporary VoicesPacifica Quartet
  6. Shaw: OrangeAttacca Quartet
Years explored
2000–2025
Different winners
22
Category leader
Attacca Quartet · 2
About this record

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance was previously known as Best Small Ensemble Performance.

It absorbed Best Chamber Music Performance in 2012, having run alongside it since 1997, and took its present double-barrelled name in 2013.

It took over from Best Chamber Music Performance.

2000–2025

26 ceremonies

20002025

01 / The reigns

Jeff von der Schmidt set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2000–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited label.

  1. 01
    Attacca Quartet2 wins
  2. 02
    Eighth Blackbird2 wins
  3. 03
    Jeff von der Schmidt2 wins
  4. 04
    Joseph Jennings2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Joseph Jennings'00
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra'01
Kremerata Baltica'02
Joseph Jennings'03
Jeff von der Schmidt'04–'05×2
Pierre Boulez'06
Peter Rutenberg'07
Yuri Bashmet'08
Charles Bruffy'09
Paul Hillier'10
Jordi Savall'11
Steven Mackey'12
Eighth Blackbird'13
Brad Wells & Roomful of Teeth'14
Hilary Hahn & Cory Smythe'15
Eighth Blackbird'16
Third Coast Percussion'17
Patricia Kopatchinskaja & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra'18
Laurie Anderson & the Kronos Quartet'19
Attacca Quartet'20
Pacifica Quartet'21
Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax'22
Attacca Quartet'23
Roomful of Teeth'24
Caroline Shaw & So Percussion'25

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Peter Phillips
    3 noms
  2. 02
    Stile Antico
    3 noms
  3. 03
    Harry Christophers
    2 noms
  4. 04
    JACK Quartet
    2 noms
  5. 05
    New York Polyphony
    2 noms
  6. 06
    PUBLIQuartet
    2 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Jordi Savall
    3L · 1W
  2. 02
    Peter Phillips
    3L · 0W
  3. 03
    Stile Antico
    3L · 0W
  4. 04
    Third Coast Percussion
    3L · 1W
  5. 05
    Harry Christophers
    2L · 0W
  6. 06
    JACK Quartet
    2L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerLabel
2025Caroline Shaw & So Percussion (Rectangles and Circumstance)
beat 4 others
  • JACK Quartet (J.L. Adams: Waves & Particles)
  • Yo-Yo Ma, Leonidas Kavakos & Emanuel Ax (Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 4 and Op. 97, 'Archduke')
  • Beth Willer, Christopher Cerrone & Lorelei Ensemble (Cerrone: Beaufort Scales)
  • Miró Quartet (Home)
Unrecorded
2024Roomful of Teeth (Rough Magic)
beat 4 others
  • Anthony McGill & The Pacifica Quartet (American Stories)
  • Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos (Beethoven For Three: Symphony No. 6 "Pastorale" and Op 1. No. 3)
  • Third Coast Percussion (Between Breaths)
  • Catalyst Quartet (Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker)
Unrecorded
2023Attacca Quartet (Shaw: Evergreen)
beat 3 others
  • Neave Trio (Musical Remembrances)
  • Third Coast Percussion (Perspectives)
  • PUBLIQuartet (What is American)
Unrecorded
2022Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax (Beethoven: Cello Sonatas - Hope Amid Tears)
beat 4 others
  • JACK Quartet (John Luther Adams: Lines Made By Walking)
  • Sandbox Percussion (Akiho: Seven Pillars)
  • Sérgio Assad, Clarice Assad & Third Coast Percussion (Archetypes)
  • Imani Winds (Bruits)
Unrecorded
2021Pacifica Quartet (Contemporary Voices)
beat 4 others
  • Brooklyn Rider (Healing Modes)
  • Ted Hearne (Hearne: Place)
  • Devonté Hynes & Third Coast Percussion (Hynes: Fields)
  • Dover Quartet (The Schumann Quartets)
Unrecorded
2020Attacca Quartet (Shaw: Orange)
beat 4 others
  • Christopher Rountree & wild Up (Cerrone: The Pieces that Fall to Earth)
  • PUBLIQuartet (Freedom & Faith)
  • Third Coast Percussion (Perpetulum)
  • Hermitage Piano Trio (Rachmaninoff - Hermitage Piano Trio)
Unrecorded
2019Laurie Anderson & the Kronos Quartet (Landfall)
beat 4 others
  • Danish String Quartet (Beethoven, Shostakovich & Bach)
  • Aizuri Quartet (Blueprinting)
  • Leif Ove Andsnes & Marc-André Hamelin (Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring Concerto for Two Pianos)
  • A Far Cry (Visions and Variations)
Unrecorded
2018Patricia Kopatchinskaja & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (Death & the Maiden)
beat 4 others
  • Arcangelo (Buxtehude: Trio Sonatas Op. 1)
  • Stile Antico (Divine Theatre - Sacred Motets by Giaches de Wert)
  • Joyce Yang & Augustin Hadelich (Franck, Kurtág, Previn & Schumann)
  • Martha Argerich & (Martha Argerich & Friends - Live From Lugano 2016)
Unrecorded
2017Third Coast Percussion (Steve Reich)
beat 4 others
  • ARC Ensemble with Kara Huber (Fitelberg: Chamber Works)
  • Øyvind Gimse, Geir Inge Lotsberg & TrondheimSolistene (Reflections)
  • Spektral Quartet (Serious Business)
  • Lincoln Trio (Trios From our Homelands)
Unrecorded
2016Eighth Blackbird (Filament)
beat 4 others
  • Tanja Tetzlaff, Christian Tetzlaff & Lars Vogt (Brahms: The Piano Trios)
  • Nadia Shpachenko & Genevieve Feiwen Lee (Flaherty: Airdancing For Toy Piano, Piano & Electronics)
  • Brad Wells & Roomful of Teeth (Render)
  • Takács Quartet & Marc-André Hamelin (Shostakovich: Piano Quintet & String Quartet No. 2)
Unrecorded
2015Hilary Hahn & Cory Smythe (In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores)
beat 4 others
  • David Krakauer (Dreams & Prayers)
  • Steven Isserlis & Olli Mustonen (Martinu': Cello Sonatas Nos. 1-3)
  • Partch (Partch: Castor & Pollux)
  • New York Polyphony (Sing Thee Nowell)
Unrecorded
2014Brad Wells & Roomful of Teeth (Roomful of Teeth)
beat 4 others
  • Leonidas Kavakos & Enrico Pace (Beethoven: Violin Sonatas)
  • Vicki Ray (Cage: The 10,000 Things)
  • Hélène Grimaud & Sol Gabetta (Duo)
  • New York Polyphony (Times Go By Turns)
Unrecorded
2013Eighth Blackbird (Meanwhile)
beat 4 others
  • Modern Mandolin Quartet (Americana)
  • ZOFO Duet (Mind Meld)
  • Boston Symphony Chamber Players (Profanes et Sacrées)
  • Los Angeles Percussion Quartet (Rupa-Khandha)
Unrecorded
2012Steven Mackey (Mackey: Lonely Motel - Music from Slide)
beat 4 others
  • Gabriela Frank (Frank: Hilos)
  • Richard Savino (The Kingdoms of Castille)
  • Patrick Dupré Quigley (A Seraphic Fire Christmas)
  • Bay Brass (Sound The Bells!)
Unrecorded
2011Jordi Savall (Dinastia Borja)
beat 4 others
  • Noel Edison (Whitacre, Eric: Choral Music)
  • Peter Phillips (Victoria: Lamentations of Jeremiah)
  • Oyvind Gimse & Geir Inge Lotsberg (Trondheimsolistene - In Folk Style)
  • Harry Christophers (Ceremony And Devotion - Music for The Tudors)
Unrecorded
2010Paul Hillier (Lang, David: The Little Match Girl Passion)
beat 4 others
  • Chamber Orchestra of Europe (Vivaldi: Concertos)
  • Stile Antico (Song of Songs)
  • Peter Phillips (Josquin: Missa Malheur Me Bat)
  • Monica Huggett (Bach: Orchestral Suites for a Young Prince)
Unrecorded
2009Charles Bruffy (Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary)
beat 4 others
  • Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble (Monk: Impermanence)
  • Reinbert de Leeuw (Im Wunderschoenen Monat Mai)
  • Roman Balashov (Tan Dun: Pipa Concerto; Hayashi: Viola Concerto; Takemitsu: Nostalgia)
  • Oyvind Gimse (Divertimenti)
Unrecorded
2008Yuri Bashmet (Stravinsky: Apollo, Concerto In D; Prokofiev: 20 Visions Fugitives)
beat 4 others
  • Stile Antico (Music for Compline)
  • Kenneth Slowik (Mahler: Das Lied Von Der Erde)
  • Frank Proto (Bridges - Eddie Daniels Plays the Music of Frank Proto)
  • Swiss Baroque Soloists (Bach: Brandenburg Concertos)
Unrecorded
2007Peter Rutenberg (Padilla: Sun of Justice)
beat 4 others
  • 12 Cellists of Berliner Philharmoniker (Angel Dances)
  • Harry Christophers (Ikon)
  • Jordi Savall (Miguel de Cervantes – Don Quijote De La Mancha – Romances y Músicas)
  • Yuri Bashmet (Shostakovich/Sviridov/Vainberg: Chamber Symphonies)
Unrecorded
2006Pierre Boulez (Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maître, Dérive 1 & 2)
beat 4 others
  • Jeff von der Schmidt (Chávez: Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 3)
  • Nicholas White (O Magnum Mysterium)
  • David Hoose (Harbison: Mottetti Di Montale)
  • David Colson (Ancient Voices of Children)
Unrecorded
2005Jeff von der Schmidt (Chávez - Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 2)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Yehudi Wyner (Wyner: The Mirror; Passover Offering, Etc.)
  • Jeanne Lamon (Rameau: Dardanus; Le Temple De La Gloire)
  • Bill Ives (Gibbons: with a Merrie Noyse)
  • Musica Antiqua Köln (Biber: Harmonia Artificiosa)
Unrecorded
2004Jeff von der Schmidt (Chávez: Suite for Double Quartet)
beat 4 others
  • Europa Galante (Vivaldi: Mandolin Concertos)
  • New London Consort (Songs of Angels)
  • René Jacobs (Monteverdi: Madrigali Guerrieri Ed Amorosi)
  • Ensemble Modern (Goebbels: Eislermaterial)
Unrecorded
2003Joseph Jennings (Tavener: Lamentations and Praises)
beat 4 others
  • Martyn Brabbins (Birtwistle: The Woman and the Hare)
  • Dufay Collective (Cancionero: Music for the Spanish Court 1470-1520)
  • Kremerata Baltica & Gidon Kremer (Enescu: Octet, Op. 7; Quintet, Op. 29)
  • Steven Richman (Stravinsky: Histoire Du Soldat Suite)
Unrecorded
2002Kremerata Baltica (After Mozart)
beat 4 others
  • Jordi Savall (Alfons V El Magnànim - El Cancionero De Montecassino)
  • Peter Phillips (Morales: Missa Si Bona Suscepimus)
  • Hervé Niquet (Boismortier: Sérénades Françaises)
  • Kristjan Järvi (Absolution)
Unrecorded
2001Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Shadow Dances)
beat 4 others
  • Reinhard Goebel (Telemann: String Concertos)
  • 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic (South American Getaway)
  • Claudio Abbado (Hindemith: Kammermusik Nr. 2, 3, 6 & 7)
  • Jordi Savall (Diáspora Sefardí)
Unrecorded
2000Joseph Jennings (Colors of Love - Works of Thomas, Stucky, Tavener & Rands)
beat 5 others
  • Moscow Soloists (Brahms: Quintet in B Minor for Viola & Strings Arr. By Bashmet/Shostakovich: Thirteenth String Quartet in B Flat Minor Arr. By A. Tchaikovsky)
  • Joseph Jennings (Colors of Love)
  • Federico Maria Sardelli (Corelli: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, Nos. 7 - 12)
  • René Jacobs (Scarlatti: Il Primo Omicidio)
  • Pierre Boulez (Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21; Herzegewächse, Op. 20; Ode To Napoleon Buonaparte, Op. 41)
Unrecorded