The Seattle Symphony is the only U.S. orchestra among eight international ensembles nominated for the 2018 Orchestra of the Year Award by Gramophone — vote now!

By Shiva Shafii

The Seattle Symphony is one of eight international ensembles nominated for the Orchestra of the Year Award, a new award that recognizes the artistic excellence of an ensemble. Compiled by Gramophone’s editors and critics, finalists were chosen from recordings made from June 2017 through May 2018. The winner will be voted on by the general public.

The Gramophone Classical Music Awards celebrate the most outstanding recordings of the past year, and this new award gives listeners the opportunity to vote for an orchestra they believe has made an exceptional contribution to recorded music this year.

“Since the launch of our record label in 2014, we have been able to share the excitement of Seattle Symphony performances through recordings that capture the incredible artistry and innovative spirit of the orchestra,” shared Elena Dubinets, Vice President of Artistic Planning & Creative Projects at the Seattle Symphony, and Co-Executive Producer for Seattle Symphony Media.

She added, "We are honored to be nominated for this prestigious new award from Gramophone. Congratulations to Music Director Ludovic Morlot, Principal Guest Conductor and Music Director Designate Thomas Dausgaard, the exceptional musicians of the Seattle Symphony and recording engineer Dmitriy Lipay for recognition of your artistic achievements!"

The eight ensembles nominated are:

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra

London Symphony Orchestra

Il Pomo d’Oro

Seattle Symphony

Les Siècles

Vienna Symphony Orchestra

The ensembles will be supported by two or three recordings each, and voters can listen to specially curated playlists on Spotify, Apple Music and Qobuz featuring these recordings, giving voters the opportunity to hear these incredible ensembles alongside one another.

Gramophone’s Editor in Chief, James Jolly, commented, “In an age when streaming services offer such a wealth of recorded music, people can listen to the world’s great ensembles at work at the touch of a screen. Our list turns the focus on eight ensembles who have enriched the record catalogue this past year, and we hope this new award will help celebrate their extraordinary work.”

Cast your vote for the Seattle Symphony before midnight on July 31, 2018!

If you have trouble completing the voting process, you can open a private or incognito window in your browser. For instructions, please visit the help pages from Chrome, Safari or Firefox.

Posted on June 19, 2018