Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra)
The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) was awarded from 1959 to 2011. From 1967 to 1971 and in 1987 the award was combined with the award for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra) and awarded as the Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with or without orchestra).
The award has had several minor name changes:
- In 1959 the award was known as Best Classical Performance - Instrumentalist (other than concerto-scale accompaniment)
- In 1960 it was awarded as Best Classical Performance - Concerto or Instrumental Soloist (other than full orchestral accompaniment)
- In 1961 it was awarded as Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Duo (other than with orchestral accompaniment)
- From 1962 to 1964 it was awarded as Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Duo (without orchestra)
- In 1965 it was awarded as Best Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (without orchestra)
- From 1966 to 1994 it was awarded as Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (without orchestra) (or a very similar equivalent)
- From 1995 to the present it has been awarded as Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra)
The award will be discontinued from 2012 in a major overhaul of Grammy categories. From 2012, this category will merge with the Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra) category to form the new Best Classical Instrumental Solo category. This is basically a return to the situation from 1967 to 1971.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.
2000s
- Grammy Awards of 2011
- Paul Jacobs for Messiaen: Livre Du Saint-Sacrement
- Grammy Awards of 2010
- Sharon Isbin for Journey to the New World
- Grammy Awards of 2009
- Gloria Cheng for Stucky, Lutosławski
- Grammy Awards of 2008
- Garrick Ohlsson for Beethoven sonatas
- Grammy Awards of 2007
- Maurizio Pollini for Chopin nocturnes
- Grammy Awards of 2006
- Grammy Awards of 2005
- David Russell for Aire Latino (Morel, Villa-Lobos, Ponce, etc.)
- Grammy Awards of 2004
- Emanuel Ax for Haydn: Piano Sonatas Nos. 29, 31, 34, 35 & 49
- Grammy Awards of 2003
- Andreas Neubronner (producer & engineer) & Murray Perahia for Chopin: Études, Op. 10 & Op. 25
- Grammy Awards of 2002
- Arne Akselberg (producer & engineer) & Truls Mørk (producer & artist) for Benjamin Britten Cello Suites (1 - 3)
- Grammy Awards of 2001
- Tobias Lehmann (producer), Jens Schünemann (engineer) & Sharon Isbin for Dreams of a World (Works of Lauro, Ruiz-Pipò, Duarte, Etc.)
- Grammy Awards of 2000
1990s
- Grammy Awards of 1999
- Murray Perahia for Bach: English Suites Nos. 1, 3 And 6
- Grammy Awards of 1998
- János Starker for Bach: Suites for Solo Cello Nos. 1 - 6
- Grammy Awards of 1997
- Earl Wild for The Romantic Master - Works of Saint-Saëns, Handel
- Grammy Awards of 1996
- Grammy Awards of 1995
- Emanuel Ax for Haydn: Piano Sonatas, Nos. 32, 47, 53, 59
- Grammy Awards of 1994
- John Browning for Barber: The Complete Solo Piano Music
- Grammy Awards of 1993
- Grammy Awards of 1992
- Alicia de Larrocha for Granados: Goyescas; Allegro de Concierto; Danza Lenta
- Grammy Awards of 1991
- Vladimir Horowitz for The Last Recording
- Grammy Awards of 1990
- András Schiff for Bach: English Suites
1980s
- Grammy Awards of 1989
- Alicia de Larrocha for Albéniz: Iberia, Navarra, Suite Espagnola
- Grammy Awards of 1988
- Vladimir Horowitz for Horowitz in Moscow
- Grammy Awards of 1986
- Grammy Awards of 1985
- Grammy Awards of 1984
- Glenn Gould for Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 12 & 13
- Grammy Awards of 1983
- Glenn Gould for Bach: The Goldberg Variations
- Grammy Awards of 1982
- Vladimir Horowitz for The Horowitz Concerts 1979/80
- Grammy Awards of 1981
- Itzhak Perlman for The Spanish Album
- Grammy Awards of 1980
- Vladimir Horowitz for The Horowitz Concerts 1978/79
1970s
- Grammy Awards of 1979
- Vladimir Horowitz for The Horowitz Concerts 1977/78
- Grammy Awards of 1978
- Grammy Awards of 1977
- Vladimir Horowitz for Horowitz Concerts 1975/76
- Grammy Awards of 1976
- Grammy Awards of 1975
- Alicia de Larrocha for Albéniz: Iberia
- Grammy Awards of 1974
- Vladimir Horowitz for Horowitz Plays Scriabin
- Grammy Awards of 1973
- Vladimir Horowitz for Horowitz Plays Chopin
- Grammy Awards of 1972
- Vladimir Horowitz for Horowitz Plays Rachmaninoff (Etudes-Tableaux Piano Music; Sonatas)
1960s
- Grammy Awards of 1966
- Vladimir Horowitz for Horowitz at Carnegie Hall - An Historic Return
- Grammy Awards of 1965
- Vladimir Horowitz for Vladimir Horowitz Plays Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin
- Grammy Awards of 1964
- Vladimir Horowitz for The Sound of Horowitz
- Grammy Awards of 1963
- Vladimir Horowitz for Columbia Records Presents Vladimir Horowitz
- Grammy Awards of 1962
- Laurindo Almeida for Reverie for Spanish Guitar
- Grammy Awards of 1961
- Laurindo Almeida for The Spanish Guitars of Laurindo Alemida
- Grammy Awards of 1960
- Arthur Rubinstein for Beethoven: Sonatas No. 21 in C (Waldstein) and No. 18 in E Flat
1950s
- Grammy Awards of 1958
- Andrés Segovia for Segovia Golden Jubilee