# Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Classical

The Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Classical is an honor presented to record producers for quality classical music productions at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".
Originally known as the Grammy Award for Classical Producer of the Year, the award was first presented to James Mallinson at the 22nd Grammy Awards (1980). The name remained unchanged until 1998, when the category became known as Producer of the Year, Classical. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is presented to album producers "whose recordings, released for the first time during the eligibility year, represent consistently outstanding creativity in the production of classical recordings". Producers must have produced at least 51% playing time on three separately released recordings (only one of which can be an opera released in DVD format). Producers may submit content as a team only if they worked together exclusively during the period of eligibility. Anthony Tommasini, music critic for The New York Times, asserted that "In the struggling field of classical recording, it's the producers who take the real risks and make things happen." The honor is presented alongside the award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
As of 2023, David Frost, Steven Epstein, Robert Woods and Judith Sherman share the record for most wins, with seven each. while James Mallinson and Elaine Martone have been presented the award three times. Two-time recipients include Joanna Nickrenz (once alongside Marc Aubort). David Frost is the son of Thomas Frost, who received an award in the same category in 1987.

## Recipients

| Year | Producer(s) | Nominees |
| 1980 | James Mallinson | Marc Aubort & Joanna Nickrenz Paul Myers Andrew Kazdin Thomas Z. Shepard Vittorio Negri Robert Woods |
| 1981 | Robert Woods | Andrew Kazdin Steven Epstein John McClure Paul Myers |
| 1982 | James Mallinson | Andrew Kazdin Jay David Saks Steven Epstein Robert Woods |
| 1983 | Robert Woods | Steven Epstein Jay David Saks Glenn Gould, Samuel Carter James Mallinson |
| 1984 | Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz | Steven Paul Steven Epstein Jay David Saks Andrew Cornall |
| 1985 | Steven Epstein | Thomas Z. Shepard Marc Aubort, Joanna Nickrenz Jay David Saks Robert Woods |
| 1986 | Robert Woods | Jay David Saks Steven Epstein David Mottley James Mallinson |
| 1987 | Thomas Frost | Marc Aubort, Joanna Nickrenz Jay David Saks Steven Epstein Robert Woods |
| 1988 | Robert Woods | Thomas Frost Michael Haas Jay David Saks Steven Epstein |
| 1989 | Robert Woods | Thomas Frost Andrew Cornall Joanna Nickrenz Steven Epstein |
| 1990 | Robert Woods | Wolf Erichson Michael Haas Patti Laursen Elizabeth Ostrow |
| 1991 | Adam Stern | Michael Fine Judith Sherman Hans Weber Max Wilcox |
| 1992 | James Mallinson | Steven Epstein Thomas Frost Jay David Saks Hans Weber |
| 1993 | Michael Fine | Andrew Cornall Steven Epstein Thomas Frost James Mallinson |
| 1994 | Judith Sherman | Andrew Cornall Michael Haas Adam Stern Robina G. Young |
| 1995 | Andrew Cornall | Anna Barry Wilhelm Hellweg Judith Sherman Max Wilcox |
| 1996 | Steven Epstein | Andrew Cornall John Fraser Jay David Saks Michael Woolcock |
| 1997 | Joanna Nickrenz | Manfred Eicher James Mallinson Martin Sauer Gary Schultz |
| 1998 | Steven Epstein | Wolf Erichson J. Tamblyn Henderson Jr. Andrew Keener Judith Sherman |
| 1999 | Steven Epstein | Manfred Eicher James Mallinson Andreas Neubronner Robina G. Young |
| 2000 | Adam Abeshouse | Andrew Keener Marina A. Ledin and Victor Ledin Robina G. Young James Mallinson |
| 2001 | Steven Epstein | John Fraser Manfred Eicher Thomas Frost James Mallinson |
| 2002 | Manfred Eicher | David Frost James Mallinson Joanna Nickrenz Robina G. Young |
| 2003 | Robert Woods | Andrew Cornall Robina G. Young Manfred Eicher James Mallinson |
| 2004 | Steven Epstein | Manfred Eicher Adam Abeshouse Marina A. Ledin and Victor Ledin Robina G. Young |
| 2005 | David Frost | Manfred Eicher James Mallinson Robina G. Young Daniel Zalay |
| 2006 | Tim Handley | Steven Epstein Christopher Alder Michael Fine Thomas C. Moore |
| 2007 | Elaine Martone | Manfred Eicher James Mallinson Kjellemyr Stephen Johns Sid McLauchlan |
| 2008 | Judith Sherman | Blanton Alspaugh John Fraser Marina A. Ledin and Victor Ledin Robina G. Young |
| 2009 | David Frost | David Groves Judith Sherman Robina G. Young Robert Woods |
| 2010 | Steven Epstein | Blanton Alspaugh John Fraser David Frost James Mallinson |
| 2011 | David Frost | Blanton Alspaugh Tim Handley Marina A. Ledin and Victor Ledin James Mallinson |
| 2012 | Judith Sherman | Blanton Alspaugh Manfred Eicher David Frost Peter Ruitenberg |
| 2013 | Blanton Alspaugh | Tim Handley Marina Ledin & Victor Ledin Dan Merceruio James Mallinson |
| 2014 | David Frost | Manfred Eicher James Mallinson Marina Ledin & Victor Ledin Jay David Saks |
| 2015 | Judith Sherman | Morten Lindberg David Starobin Dimitriy Lipay Elaine Martone |
| 2016 | Judith Sherman | Blanton Alspaugh Manfred Eicher Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin Dan Merceruio |
| 2017 | David Frost | Blanton Alspaugh Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin Judith Sherman Robina G. Young |
| 2018 | David Frost | Blanton Alspaugh Manfred Eicher Morten Lindberg Judith Sherman |
| 2019 | Blanton Alspaugh | David Frost Elizabeth Ostrow Judith Sherman Dirk Sobotka |
| 2020 | Blanton Alspaugh | James Ginsburg Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin Morten Lindberg Dirk Sobotka |
| 2021 | David Frost | Blanton Alspaugh Jesse Lewis Dmitriy Lipay Elaine Martone |
| 2022 | Judith Sherman | Blanton Alspaugh Steven Epstein David Frost Elaine Martone |
| 2023 | Judith Sherman | Jonathan Allen Christoph Franke James Ginsburg Elaine Martone |
| 2024 | Elaine Martone | David Frost Morten Lindberg Dmitriy Lipay Brian Pidgeon |
| 2025 | Elaine Martone | Erica Brenner Christoph Franke Morten Lindberg Dmitriy Lipay Dirk Sobotka |
Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.