Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition

The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (including its previous names) has been awarded since 1960. The award is presented to the composer of an original piece of music (not an adaptation), first released during the eligibility year. In theory, any style of music is eligible for this category, but winning compositions are usually in the jazz or film score genres.

Awarded forQuality instrumental compositions

CountryUnited States

Presented byNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

First award1960

Quick facts Awarded for, Country ...

Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition
Awarded for	Quality instrumental compositions
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First award	1960
Currently held by	Remy Le Boeuf — "First Snow" (2026)
Website	grammy.com

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History

The Grammy is awarded to the composer(s) of the music, not to the performing artist, except if the artist is also the composer. There have been several minor changes to the name of the award:

In 1959 it was awarded as Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1958 (over 5 minutes duration)
In 1960 it was awarded as Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1959 (more than 5 minutes duration)
In 1962 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Theme or Instrumental Version of Song
From 1963 to 1964 and from 1967 to 1970 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Theme
In 1965 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Composition (other than jazz)
From 1971 to the present it has been awarded as Best Instrumental Composition

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

1950s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
1958 ^[1]	Nelson Riddle	Cross Country Suite	Nelson Riddle
Samuel Barber	Vanessa	Dimitri Mitropoulos
Johnny Mandel	I Want to Live!	Johnny Mandel
Richard Rodgers	Victory at Sea, Vol. II	Robert Russell Bennett
Kurt Weill	Mahagonny	Lotte Lenya
1959 ^[2]	Duke Ellington	Anatomy of a Murder	Duke Ellington
Morton Gould	"St. Lawrence Suite"	Morton Gould
Henry Mancini	More Music from Peter Gunn	Henry Mancini
Sergei Prokofiev	Prokoviev: The Overture Russe Op.72	Jean Martinon conducting the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
Dmitri Shostakovich	Shostakovich: Concerto #2 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 101	Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic

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1960s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
1962 ^[3]	Galt MacDermot	African Waltz	Cannonball Adderley
Duke Ellington	Paris Blues	Duke Ellington
Bob Merrill	"Theme from Carnival!"	Original Broadway Cast
Nino Rota	La Dolce Vita	Nino Rota
Dimitri Tiomkin	The Guns of Navarone	Dimitri Tiomkin
1963 ^[4]	Ric Marlow and Bobby Scott	"A Taste of Honey"	Eddie Cano
Elmer Bernstein and Mack David	"Walk on the Wild Side"	Elmer Bernstein
Acker Bilk	"Stranger on the Shore"	Acker Bilk
Henry Mancini	"Baby Elephant Walk"	Henry Mancini
Nelson Riddle	Route 66 Theme	Nelson Riddle
Dave Rose	"The Stripper"	Dave Rose
1964 ^[5]	Norman Newell, Nino Oliviero and Riz Ortolani	"More (Theme from Mondo Cane)"	Vic Dana
Steve Allen and Ray Brown	"Gravy Waltz"	Steve Allen
Bob Goldstein and David Shire	"Washington Square"	The Village Stompers
Maurice Jarre	Lawrence of Arabia	Maurice Jarre
Jean "Toots" Theilemans	"Bluesette"	Jean "Toots" Theilemans
1965 ^[6]	Henry Mancini	"The Pink Panther Theme"	Henry Mancini
Lee Adams and Charles Strouse	"Theme from Golden Boy"	Various Artists (Quincy Jones and Sammy Kaye)
Russ Daymon	"Cotton Candy"	Al Hirt
Buddy Killen and Billy Sherrill	"Sugar Lips"	Al Hirt
Jack Marshall	"Theme from The Munsters"	Various Artists
1967 ^[7]	Neal Hefti	"Batman Theme"	Neal Hefti
D. J. Edwards	"Trumpet Pickin'"	Al Hirt
Priscilla Hubbard	"Prissy"	Chet Atkins
Henry Mancini	"Arabesque"	Henry Mancini
Alex North	"Who's Afraid?"	Alex North
1968 ^[8]	Lalo Schifrin	"Mission: Impossible"	Lalo Schifrin
Burt Bacharach and Hal David	"Casino Royale"	Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
Chico Buarque de Hollanda	"A Banda"	Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
Hugo Montenegro	"Hurry Sundown"	Hugo Montenegro
Josef Zawinul	"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"	Cannonball Adderley Quintet
1969 ^[9]	Mason Williams	"Classical Gas"	Mason Williams
Neal Hefti	The Odd Couple	Neal Hefti
Krzysztof Komeda	"Rosemary's Baby"	Rick Powell
Hugo Montenegro and Ennio Morricone	"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"	Hugo Montenegro
Lalo Schifrin	"Theme from The Fox"	Lalo Schifrin

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1970s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
1970 ^[10]	John Barry	"Midnight Cowboy"	John Barry
Robert Cobert	"Quentin's Theme"	The Charles Randolph Grean Sounde
Quincy Jones	"Mackenna's Gold (Main Title)"	Quincy Jones
Herbie Mann	Memphis Underground	Herbie Mann
Bobby Warren and Harlow Wilcox	"Groovy Grubworm"	Harlow Wilcox and the Oakies
1971 ^[11]	Alfred Newman	"Airport Love Theme"	Alfred Newman
Miles Davis	"Bitches Brew"	Miles Davis
Quincy Jones	"Gula Matari"	Quincy Jones
Henry Mancini	"Love Theme from Sunflower"	Henry Mancini
Lalo Schifrin	"Theme from Medical Center"	Lalo Schifrin
1972 ^[12]	Michel Legrand	"Theme from Summer of '42"	Michel Legrand
Duke Ellington	New Orleans Suite	Duke Ellington
Isaac Hayes	"Theme from Shaft"	Isaac Hayes
Francis Lai	"Theme from Love Story"	Francis Lai and His Orchestra / Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
Chuck Mangione	"Hill Where the Lord Hides"	Chuck Mangione
1973 ^[13]	Michel Legrand	"Brian's Song"	Michel Legrand
Don Ellis	"Theme from The French Connection"	Don Ellis Big Band
Joe Greene and Billy Preston	"Outa-Space"	Billy Preston
Henry Mancini	"Brass on Ivory"	Henry Mancini
Nino Rota	"Theme from The Godfather"	Nino Rota
1974 ^[14]	Gato Barbieri	"Theme from Last Tango in Paris"	Chuck Mangione / Herb Alpert
Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Leer	"Hocus Pocus"	Focus
Manu Dibango	"Soul Makossa"	Manu Dibango
Billy Preston	"Space Race"	Billy Preston
Edgar Winter	"Frankenstein"	Edgar Winter
1975 ^[15]	Mike Oldfield	"Tubular Bells — Theme from The Exorcist"	Mike Oldfield
Benny Golson	"Along Came Betty"	Quincy Jones
Herbie Hancock, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason and Bennie Maupin	"Chameleon"	Herbie Hancock
Barry White	"Barry's Theme"	Barry White
Barry White	"Rhapsody in White"	Barry White
1976 ^[16]	Michel Legrand	"Images"	Michel Legrand and Phil Woods
Pete Clarence Carpenter and Mike Post	"The Rockford Files"	Mike Post
Sylvester Levay and Stephen Prager	"Fly, Robin, Fly"	Silver Convention
Chuck Mangione	"Chase the Clouds Away"	Chuck Mangione
Van McCoy	"The Hustle"	Van McCoy
1977 ^[17]	Chuck Mangione	"Bellavia"	Chuck Mangione
Henry Mancini	"The White Dawn"	Henry Mancini
Chick Corea	"Leprechaun's Dream"	Chick Corea
Louis Johnson, Quincy Jones and Johnny Mandel	"Midnight Soul Patrol"	Quincy Jones
Skip Scarborough and Maurice White	"Earth, Wind & Fire"	Earth, Wind & Fire
Stevie Wonder	"Contusion"	Stevie Wonder
1978 ^[18]	John Williams	"Star Wars — Main Title"	John Williams
Carol Connors, Bill Conti and Ayn Robbins	"Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)"	Maynard Ferguson
Gerald Fried and Quincy Jones	"Roots Medley (Motherland, Roots, Mural Theme)"	Quincy Jones
Marvin Hamlisch	"Bond '77/James Bond Theme"	Marvin Hamlisch
Josef Zawinul	"Birdland"	Weather Report
1979 ^[19]	John Williams	"Theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind"	John Williams
Nick Ashford, Quincy Jones and Valerie Simpson	"End of the Yellow Brick Road"	Ashford & Simpson
Chick Corea	"Friends"	Chick Corea
Chuck Mangione	"Consuelo's Love Theme"	Chuck Mangione Group
Lee Ritenour	"The Captain's Journey"	Lee Ritenour

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1980s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
1980 ^[20]	John Williams	"Superman Main Title Theme"	John Williams
Andy Armer and Randy Badazz	"Rise"	Herb Alpert
Chick Corea	"Central Park"	Chick Corea
Bob James	"Angela (Theme from Taxi)"	Bob James
Marian McPartland	"Ambiance"	Marian McPartland
1981 ^[21]	John Williams	"The Empire Strikes Back"	John Williams
Chuck Mangione	"Give It All You Got"	Chuck Mangione
John Williams	"Yoda's Theme"	John Williams
John Williams	"Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)"	John Williams
Patrick Williams	"An American Concerto"	Patrick Williams
1982 ^[22]	Mike Post	"The Theme from Hill Street Blues"	Mike Post
John Corigliano	"Altered States"	John Corigliano
Jerry Goldsmith	"The Slaves"	Jerry Goldsmith
Lyle Mays and Pat Metheny	As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls	Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays
Gerry Mulligan	"For an Unfinished Woman"	Gerry Mulligan
1983 ^[23]	John Williams	"Flying — Theme from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"	John Williams
Lyle Mays and Pat Metheny	"Are You Going with Me?"	Pat Metheny Group
Claus Ogerman	"In the Presence and Absence of Each Other (Parts 1, 2 and 3)"	Claus Ogerman featuring Michael Brecker
Tom Scott	Desire	Tom Scott
John Williams	"Adventure on Earth"	John Williams
1984 ^[24]	Giorgio Moroder	"Love Theme from Flashdance"	Helen St. John
Michael Beinhorn, Herbie Hancock and Bill Laswell	"Rockit"	Herbie Hancock
Dave Grusin	"An Actor's Life"	Dave Grusin
Henry Mancini	"The Thorn Birds Theme"	Henry Mancini
Dan Sembello and Michael Sembello	"Dream Hunter"	Sergio Mendes
1985 ^[25]	Randy Newman (TIE)	"The Natural"	Randy Newman
John Williams (TIE)	"Olympic Fanfare and Theme"	John Williams
Elmer Bernstein	"Ghostbusters (Main Title Theme)"	Elmer Bernstein
Pete Carpenter and Mike Post	"The A-Team"	Mike Post
Wynton Marsalis	"Hot House Flowers"	Wynton Marsalis
1986 ^[26]	Jan Hammer	"Miami Vice Theme"	Jan Hammer
Harold Faltermeyer	"Axel F"	Harold Faltermeyer
David Foster	"Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire"	David Foster
Thad Jones	"With Bells On"	Louis Bellson
Alan Silvestri	"Back to the Future"	Alan Silvestri
1987 ^[27]	John Barry	"Out of Africa"	John Barry
Bruce Broughton	Young Sherlock Holmes (Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack)	Bruce Broughton conducting The Sinfonia of London
Chick Corea	"Elektric City"	Chick Corea
Harold Faltermeyer	"Top Gun Anthem"	Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens
Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour	"Earth Run"	Lee Ritenour
James Horner	Aliens (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	James Horner
Wynton Marsalis	"J Mood"	Wynton Marsalis
1988 ^[28]	Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins and Wayne Shorter	"Call Sheet Blues"	Dexter Gordon
Claude Bolling	Bolling: Suite No. 2 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio	Claude Bolling, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Pierre-Yves Sorin and Vincent Cordelette
Henry Mancini	"The Blues in Three"	Henry Mancini
Lyle Mays and Pat Metheny	"Minuano (Six Eight)"	Pat Metheny Group
Frank Zappa	"Jazz from Hell"	Frank Zappa
1989 ^[29]	Mike Post	"The Theme from L.A. Law"	Mike Post
Chick Corea	"Eternal Child"	Chick Corea Elektric Band
Benny Carter	"Central City Sketches (Side 2)"	Benny Carter
David Foster	"Winter Games"	David Foster
John Williams	"Olympic Spirit"	John Williams

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1990s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
1990 ^[30]	Danny Elfman	"The Batman Theme"	Sinfonia of London Orchestra
Chick Corea	"Morning Sprite"	Chick Corea Akoustic Band
Dave Grusin	"Suite from The Milagro Beanfield War"	Dave Grusin
James Horner	"Field of Dreams"	James Horner
Pat Metheny	"Letter from Home"	Pat Metheny Group
Alan Silvestri	"Who Framed Roger Rabbit Suite"	John Scott
1991 ^[31]	Pat Metheny	"Change of Heart"	Roy Haynes, Dave Holland & Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny	"The Chief"	Gary Burton
Harry Connick Jr. and Joe Livingston	"One Last Pitch (Take Two)"	Harry Connick Jr. Trio
Walter Afanasieff and Kenny G	"Going Home"	Kenny G
1992 ^[32]	Elton John	"Basque"	James Galway
Herb Alpert and Greg Smith	"North on South St."	Herb Alpert
Béla Fleck, Howard Levy, Roy Wooten and Victor Wooten	"Blu-Bop"	Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Eric Johnson	"Cliffs of Dover"	Eric Johnson
Claus Ogerman	"Corfu"	Claus Ogerman and Michael Brecker
1993 ^[33]	Benny Carter	"Harlem Renaissance Suite"	Benny Carter
Pat Metheny	"The Truth Will Always Be"	Pat Metheny
Astor Piazzolla	"Oblivion"	Ettore Stratta
Béla Fleck	"Magic Fingers"	Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Wynton Marsalis	"Blue Interlude"	Wynton Marsalis Septet
1994 ^[34]	Kenny G	"Forever in Love"	Kenny G
Dave Brubeck	"Autumn"	Dave Brubeck, Chris Brubeck and Dan Brubeck
Chick Corea	"Blue Miles"	Chick Corea Elektric Band II
Lyle Mays	"Bill Evans"	Lyle Mays
Lyle Mays and Pat Metheny	"Half Life of Absolution"	Pat Metheny Group
1995 ^[35]	Michael Brecker	"African Skies"	Michael Brecker
Louie Bellson	"Ellington-Strayhorn Suite"	Louie Bellson
Benny Carter	"Elegy in Blue"	Benny Carter
Arturo Sandoval	"A Mis Abuelos"	Arturo Sandoval
Maria Schneider	"Evanescence"	Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra
1996 ^[36]	Bill Holman	"A View from the Side"	The Bill Holman Band
Billy Childs	"The Starry Night"	Billy Childs
Chick Corea	"New Life"	Chick Corea
Marcus Miller and Allen Toussaint	"Tales"	Marcus Miller
Billy Taylor	"Homage Part I"	Billy Taylor
1997 ^[37]	Herbie Hancock and Jean Hancock	"Manhattan (Island of Lights and Love)"	Herbie Hancock
Jorge Calandrelli	"The Fifth Season"	Eddie Daniels
Billy Childs	"Aaron's Song"	Billy Childs
Arturo Sandoval	"Real McBop"	Arturo Sandoval
Wayne Shorter	"Midnight in Carlotta's Hair"	Wayne Shorter
1998 ^[38]	Wayne Shorter	"Aung San Suu Kyi"	Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter
Alan Broadbent	"Everytime I Think of You"	Alan Broadbent
Bob Florence	"Earth"	The Bob Florence Limited Edition
J. J. Johnson	"Cannon for Bela"	J. J. Johnson
Bob Mintzer	"New Rochelle"	Yellowjackets
1999 ^[39]	Bela Fleck, Future Man and Victor Lemonte Wooten	"Almost 12"	Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Jorge Calandrelli and Astor Piazzolla	"Tango Remembrances"	Yo-Yo Ma
Wynton Marsalis	"The Midnight Blues"	Wynton Marsalis
Bob Mintzer	"Ellis Island"	Bob Mintzer Big Band
Gerald Wilson	"Romance"	The Gerald Wilson Orchestra

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2000s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
2000 ^[40]	Don Sebesky	"Joyful Noise Suite"	Don Sebesky
David Benoit	"Dad's Room"	David Benoit
Chick Corea	"Little Flamenco"	Chick Corea and Origin
Paquito D'Rivera	"Tropicana Nights"	Paquito D'Rivera
KC Porter and Carlos Santana	"El Farol"	Santana
2001 ^[41]	John Williams	"Theme from Angela's Ashes"	John Williams
Gordon Goodwin	"Sing, Sang, Sung"	Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
James Newton Howard	"The Egg Travels"	James Newton Howard
Paul McCandless	"Round Robin"	Oregon with The Moscow Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra
Ralph Towner	"The Templars"	Oregon with The Moscow Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra
2002 ^[42]	Alan Silvestri	"Cast Away — End Credits"	Alan Silvestri
Tan Dun	"The Eternal Vow"	Tan Dun
John Patitucci	"Communion"	John Patitucci
Gonzalo Rubalcaba	"Oren (Pray)"	Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Patrick Williams	"Theme from Blonde"	Patrick Williams
2003 ^[43]	Thomas Newman	"Six Feet Under Title Theme"	Thomas Newman
James Newton Howard	"Signs — Main Titles"	James Newton Howard
Randy Newman	"The Ride of the Doors"	Randy Newman
Kenny Werner	"Inspiration"	Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner
John Williams	"Hedwig's Theme"	John Williams
2004 ^[44]	Wayne Shorter	"Sacajawea"	Wayne Shorter
Michael Brecker	"Broadband"	Michael Brecker Quindectet
Gordon Goodwin	"Hunting Wabbits"	Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Vince Mendoza	"Amoroso"	Stefano Di Battista
Kim Richmond	"Precious Promises"	The Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra
2005 ^[45]	Paquito D'Rivera	"Merengue"	Yo-Yo Ma
Maria Schneider	"Three Romances"	University of Miami Concert Jazz Band
Slide Hampton	"Past Present & Future"	The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Maria Schneider	"Bulería, Soleá y Rumba"	Maria Schneider Orchestra
Gabriel Yared	"Ada Plays (from Cold Mountain)"	Gabriel Yared
2006 ^[46]	Billy Childs	"Into the Light"	Billy Childs Ensemble
Michael Giacchino	"The Incredits"	Various Artists
John Williams	"Anakin's Betrayal"	John Williams and The London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices
John Williams	"The Ferry Scene"	John Williams
2007 ^[47]	John Williams	"A Prayer for Peace"	John Williams
Taylor Eigsti	"Argument"	Taylor Eigsti
Fred Hersch	"Valentine"	Fred Hersch
John Williams	"Sayuri's Theme and End Credits"	John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman
Patrick Williams	"A Concerto in Swing"	The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra and Big Band
2008 ^[48]	Maria Schneider	"Cerulean Skies"	Maria Schneider Orchestra
Harry Connick Jr.	"Ash Wednesday"	Harry Connick Jr.
Béla Fleck	"Spectacle"	Chick Corea and Béla Fleck
Philip Glass	"I Knew Her (from Notes on a Scandal)"	Philip Glass
Mark Walker	"Deep Six"	Oregon
2009 ^[49]	John Williams	"The Adventures of Mutt"	John Williams
Chick Corea	"Alegria"	Chick Corea and Gary Burton
Russell Ferrante	"Claire's Closet"	Yellowjackets and Mike Stern
Gordon Goodwin	"Hit the Ground Running"	Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Dave Grusin	"Danzón de Etiqueta"	Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin

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2010s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
2010 ^[50]	Michael Giacchino	"Married Life"	Michael Giacchino
Tim Davies	"Counting to Infinity"	Tim Davies Big Band
Paquito D'Rivera	"Borat in Syracuse"	Paquito D'Rivera Quintet
Bob Florence	"Fluffy"	Bob Florence Limited Edition
Steve Wiest	"Ice-Nine"	University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band
2011 ^[51]	Billy Childs	"The Path Among the Trees"	Billy Childs Ensemble
Gerald Clayton	"Battle Circles"	Clayton Brothers
Bill Cunliffe	"Fourt Stream... La Banda"	Temple University Symphony Orchestra
Tim Hagans	"Box of Cannoli"	The Norrbotten Big Band
Patrick Williams	"Aurora"	Patrick Williams Big Band
2012 ^[52]	Béla Fleck and Howard Levy	"Life in Eleven"	Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Randy Brecker	"I Talk to the Trees"	Randy Brecker with DR Big Band
Russell Ferrante	"Timeline"	Yellowjackets
Gordon Goodwin	"Hunting Wabbits 3 (Get Off My Lawn)"	Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
John Hollenbeck	"Falling Men"	John Hollenbeck, Daniel Yvinec and Orchestre National de Jazz
2013 ^[53]	Chick Corea	"Mozart Goes Dancing"	Chick Corea and Gary Burton
Chris Brubeck and Dave Brubeck	"Music of Ansel Adams: America"	Temple University Symphony Orchestra
Bill Cunliffe	"Overture, Waltz and Rondo"	Temple University Symphony Orchestra
Bill Holman	"Without a Paddle"	Tall & Small
Chuck Loeb	"December Dream"	Fourplay
2014 ^[54]	Clare Fischer	"Pensamientos for Solo Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra"	The Clare Fischer Orchestra
Gordon Goodwin	"California Pictures for String Quartet"	Quartet San Francisco
Scott Healy	"Koko on the Boulevard"	Scott Healy Ensemble
Vince Mendoza	"String Quartet No. 1: Funky Diversion in Three Parts"	Quartet San Francisco
Chuck Owen	"Bound Away"	Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge
2015 ^[55]	John Williams	"The Book Thief"	John Williams
Stanley Clarke	"Last Train to Sanity"	Stanley Clarke Band
Gordon Goodwin	"Life in the Bubble"	Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile	"Tarnation"	Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile
Rufus Reid	"Recognition"	Rufus Reid
2016 ^[56]	Arturo O'Farrill	"The Afro Latin Jazz Suite"	Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa
David Balakrishnan	"Confetti Man"	Turtle Island Quartet
Rich DeRosa	"Neil"	University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band
Marshall Gilkes	"Vesper"	Marshall Gilkes and WDR Big Band
Bob Mintzer	"Civil War"	Bob Mintzer Big Band
2017 ^[57]	Ted Nash	"Spoken at Midnight"	Ted Nash Big Band
Tim Davies	"The Expensive Train Set (An Epic Sarahnade for Double Big Band)"	Tim Davies Big Band
Alan Ferber	"Flow"	Alan Ferber Nonet
Ennio Morricone	"L'Ultima Diligenza di Red Rock — Versione Integrale"	Ennio Morricone
Thomas Newman	"Bridge of Spies (End Title)"	Thomas Newman
2018 ^[58]	Arturo O'Farrill	"Three Revolutions"	Arturo O'Farrill and Chucho Valdés
Pascal Le Boeuf	"Alkaline"	Le Boeuf Brothers and JACK Quartet
Vince Mendoza	"Chorus #3"	Vince Mendoza and WDR Big Band Cologne
Chuck Owen	"Warped Cowboy"	Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge
Nate Smith	"Home Free (For Peter Joe)"	Nate Smith
2019 ^[59]	Terence Blanchard	"Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil)"	Terence Blanchard
Alexandre Desplat	"The Shape of Water"	Alexandre Desplat
Jeremy Kittel	"Chrysalis"	Kittel & Co.
John Powell and John Williams	"Mine Mission"	John Powell and John Williams
Alan Silvestri	"Infinity War"	Alan Silvestri

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2020s

More information Year[I], Nominee(s) ...

Year^[I]	Nominee(s)	Work	Artist(s)
2020 ^[60]	John Williams	"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite"	John Williams
Fred Hersch	"Begin Again"	Fred Hersch and WDR Big Band conducted by Vince Mendoza
Brian Lynch	"Crucible for Crisis"	Brian Lynch Big Band
Christian McBride	"Walkin' Funny"	Christian McBride
Vince Mendoza	"Love, A Beautiful Force"	Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts and the Temple University Studio Orchestra
2021 ^[61]	Maria Schneider	"Sputnik"	Maria Schneider Orchestra
Alexandre Desplat	"Plumfield"	Alexandre Desplat
Remy Le Boeuf	"Strata"	Remy Le Boeuf's Assembly of Shadows featuring Anna Webber and Eric Miller
Arturo O'Farrill	"Baby Jack"	Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Christian Sands	"Be Water II"	Christian Sands
2022 ^[62]	Lyle Mays	"Eberhard"	Lyle Mays
Vince Mendoza	"Concerto for Orchestra: Finale"	Vince Mendoza and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra featuring Antonio Sánchez and Derrick Hodge
Tom Nazziola	"Cat and Mouse"	Tom Nazziola
Arturo O'Farrill	"Dreaming in Lions: Dreaming in Lions"	Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
Brandee Younger	"Beautiful Is Black"	Brandee Younger
2023 ^[63]	Geoffrey Keezer	"Refuge"	Geoffrey Keezer
Paquito D'Rivera	"African Tales"	Tasha Warren and Dave Eggar
Pascal Le Boeuf	"Snapshots"	Tasha Warren and Dave Eggar
Danilo Pérez	"Fronteras (Borders) Suite: Al-Musafir Blues"	Danilo Pérez featuring The Global Messengers
Miguel Zenón	"El Pais Invisible"	Miguel Zenón, José Antonio Zayas Cabán, Ryan Smith and Casey Rafn
2024 ^[64]	John Williams	"Helena's Theme"	John Williams
Lakecia Benjamin	"Amerikkan Skin"	Lakecia Benjamin featuring Angela Davis
Gordon Goodwin and Raymond Scott	"Cutey and the Dragon"	Quartet San Francisco featuring Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Ludwig Göransson	"Can You Hear the Music"	Ludwig Göransson
Edgar Meyer	"Motion"	Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
2025 ^[65]	Pascal Le Boeuf	"Strands"	Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf and Christian Euman
André 3000, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau and Carlos Niño	"I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a 'Rap' Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time"	André 3000
Shelton G. Berg	"At Last"	Shelly Berg
Chick Corea	"Remembrance"	Chick Corea and Béla Fleck
Christopher Zuar	"Communion"	Christopher Zuar Orchestra
2026 ^[66]	Remy Le Boeuf	"First Snow"	Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf and Danielle Wertz
Zain Effendi	"Opening"	Zail Effendi
Ludwig Göransson	"Why You Here / Before the Sun Went Down"	Ludwig Göransson featuring Miles Caton
Miho Hazama	"Live Life This Day: Movement 1"	Miho Hazama, Danish Radio Big Band and Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Sierra Hull	"Lord, That's a Long Way"	Sierra Hull
John Powell and Stephen Schwartz	"Train to Emerald City"	John Powell and Stephen Schwartz