Best Instrumental Composition
2026 • 68th Annual Grammy Awards
Honoring recordings released between Aug 31, 2024 and Aug 30, 2025
2026 Winner is Nordkraft Big Band, Remy Le Boeuf & Danielle Wertz with "First Snow"
Nominees 2026
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First Snow
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Live Life This Day: Movement I
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Lord, That's A Long Way
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Opening
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Train To Emerald City
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Why You Here / Before The Sun Went Down
Winners
| Year | Winner | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Remy Le Boeuf | First Snow |
| 2025 | Pascal Le Boeuf | Strands |
| 2024 | John Williams | Helena's Theme |
| 2023 | Geoffrey Keezer | Refuge |
| 2022 | Lyle Mays | Eberhard |
| 2021 | Maria Schneider | Sputnik |
| 2020 | John Williams | Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite |
| 2019 | Terence Blanchard | Blut Und Boden (Blood And Soil) |
| 2018 | Arturo O'Farrill | Three Revolutions |
| 2017 | Ted Nash | Spoken At Midnight |
| 2016 | Arturo O'Farrill | The Afro Latin Jazz Suite |
| 2015 | John Williams | The Book Thief |
| 2014 | Clare Fischer | Pensamientos For Solo Alto Saxophone And Chamber Orchestra |
| 2013 | Chick Corea | Mozart Goes Dancing |
| 2012 | Béla Fleck, Howard Levy | Life In Eleven |
| 2011 | Billy Childs | The Path Among The Trees |
| 2010 | Michael Giacchino | Married Life |
| 2009 | John Williams | The Adventures Of Mutt |
| 2008 | Maria Schneider | Cerulean Skies |
| 2007 | John Williams | A Prayer For Peace |
| 2006 | Billy Childs | Into The Light |
| 2005 | Paquito D'Rivera | Merengue |
| 2004 | Wayne Shorter | Sacajawea |
| 2003 | Thomas Newman | Six Feet Under Title Theme |
| 2002 | Alan Silvestri | Cast Away - End Credits |
| 2001 | John Williams | Theme From Angela's Ashes |
| 2000 | Don Sebesky | Joyful Noise Suite |
| 1999 | Béla Fleck, Roy Wooten, Victor Wooten | Almost 12 |
| 1998 | Wayne Shorter | Aung San Suu Kyi |
| 1997 | Herbie Hancock, Jean Hancock | Manhattan (Island Of Lights And Love) |
| 1996 | Bill Holman | A View From The Side |
| 1995 | Michael Brecker | African Skies |
| 1994 | Kenny G | Forever In Love |
| 1993 | Benny Carter | Harlem Renaissance Suite |
| 1992 | Elton John | Basque |
| 1991 | Pat Metheny | Change Of Heart |
| 1990 | Danny Elfman | The Batman Theme |
| 1989 | Mike Post | The Theme From LA Law |
| 1988 | Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins, Wayne Shorter | Call Sheet Blues |
| 1987 | John Barry | Out Of Africa |
| 1986 | Jan Hammer | Miami Vice Theme |
| 1985 | Randy Newman | The Natural |
| 1985 | John Williams | Olympic Fanfare & Theme |
| 1984 | Giorgio Moroder | Love Theme From Flashdance |
| 1983 | John Williams | Flying - Theme From E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial |
| 1982 | Mike Post | The Theme From Hill Street Blues |
| 1981 | John Williams | The Empire Strikes Back |
| 1980 | John Williams | Superman Main Title Theme |
| 1979 | John Williams | Theme From Close Encounters Of The Third Kind |
| 1978 | John Williams | Star Wars - Main Title |
| 1977 | Chuck Mangione | Bellavia |
| 1976 | Michel Legrand | Images |
| 1975 | Mike Oldfield | Tubular Bells - Theme From The Exorcist |
| 1974 | Gato Barbieri | Last Tango In Paris |
| 1973 | Michel Legrand | Brian's Song |
| 1972 | Michel Legrand | Theme From Summer Of '42 |
| 1971 | Alfred Newman | Airport Love Theme |
| 1970 | John Barry | Midnight Cowboy |
| 1969 | Mason D. Williams | Classical Gas |
| 1968 | Lalo Schifrin | Mission: Impossible |
| 1967 | Neal Hefti | Batman Theme |
| 1965 | Henry Mancini | The Pink Panther Theme |
| 1964 | Norman Newell, Nino Oliviero, Riz Ortolani | More - Theme From Mondo Cane |
| 1963 | Ric Marlow, Bobby Scott | A Taste Of Honey |
| 1962 | Galt MacDermott | African Waltz |
| 1960 | Duke Ellington | Anatomy Of A Murder |
| 1959 | Nelson Riddle | Cross Country Suite |