2026 Grammy Win for Donnacha Dennehy's 'Land of Winter'
This year’s Grammy Awards took place on 1 February 2026 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Among the nominees were Irish New Music composers Donnacha Dennehy, for the chamber work ‘Land of Winter’, and Emma O’Halloran for the double opera ‘Trade/Mary Motorhead’.
Donnacha Dennehy’s 'Land of Winter', was shortlisted for “Best Contemporary Classical Composition” and “Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance”, winning in the latter category for a performance by the composer’s longtime collaborators Alarm Will Sound, led by Artistic Director Alan Pierson.
Describing 'Land of Winter', Dennehy said:
The Romans referred to Ireland as Hibernia—the ‘land of winter’—believing that the inhabited world ended in the northwest with this country that never knew summer ... It is the varying quality of light that truly demarcates the seasons, from the shorter days of grey or piercing light in the winter to the warmer but mercurial light of summer days that at solstice stretch almost to midnight. I like this play between light and time, and it is the major inspiration behind the piece.
Composer Emma O’Halloran’s double opera 'Trade/Mary Motorhead' was nominated for "Best Opera Recording". While the award went to 'Intelligence', by composer Jake Heggie, the importance of the nomination was underlined by President of Ireland Catherine Connolly, who congratulated Emma and the Artistic Team, highlighting
a landmark moment for Irish music and contemporary opera, marking the first Grammy nomination for an Irish opera recording, and the first time an Irish female composer has been nominated in the classical field.
'Trade/Mary Motorhead', which includes a libretto by Mark O’Halloran, was recorded by the Irish National Opera and released on Signum Records. The recording features singers Naomi Louisa O’Connell, John Molloy and Oisín Ó Dálaigh with the Irish National Opera Orchestra conducted by Elaine Kelly.