2009 in classical music

Events

 * September 12 – Australian radio station ABC Classic FM reveals the results of its Classic 100 Symphony poll. The winner is Dvořák's Symphony no. 9 – From the New World.
 * October – With the release of his new album Nightbook, Ludovico Einaudi takes a new direction, incorporating synthesized sounds alongside his solo piano playing.

New works

 * John Adams – String Quartet No. 2
 * Thomas Adès – Lieux Retrouvés, for cello and piano
 * Kalevi Aho – Hommage á Schubert, string quintet
 * Richard Barrett – Mesopotamia for 17 instruments and electronics
 * Harrison Birtwistle – The Corridor, scena for two singers and ensemble
 * John Brunning – Sahara, for guitar
 * Elliott Carter
 * Duettino, for violin and cello
 * Figment V, for marimba
 * Ludovico Einaudi – Nightbook
 * Lorenzo Ferrero
 * Op.111 – Bagatella su Beethoven, for piano solo
 * Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2
 * Fantasy Suite No. 2, for violin and orchestra
 * Three Simple Songs, for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello and piano
 * Tourists and Oracles, for eleven instruments and piano four-hands
 * Francesco Filidei – Ogni gesto d'amore, for violoncello and orchestra
 * Howard Goodall – Enchanted Voices
 * Philip Glass
 * Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, No. 2, "The American Four Seasons", premiere in December
 * Sonata for Violin and Piano
 * String Sextet
 * Sofia Gubaidulina – Fachwerk, for bayan, percussion and string orchestra
 * Mehdi Hosseini
 * Baluch, for alto flute, contrabassoon, horn, xylophone, violin and cello
 * Peshtpa, for oboe, bass clarinet and violoncello
 * Magnus Lindberg – Graffiti, for chorus and orchestra
 * Frederik Magle – Symphonic suite Cantabile, premiere June 10 in Koncerthuset, Copenhagen
 * Christopher Rouse – Odna Zhizn
 * David Sawer – Rumpelstiltskin
 * Steven Stucky – Dust Devil, for solo marimba
 * John Tavener
 * Tu ne sais pas, for mezzo-soprano, timpani and stings
 * The Peace that Passeth Understanding, for choir
 * Mark-Anthony Turnage – Five Processionals, for clarinet, violin, cello and piano

Opera premieres
Operas which premiered in 2009 include:
 * Kepler by Philip Glass, September 20, Landesthater Linz, Austria
 * Aquarius by Karel Goeyvaerts, June 9, Antwerp
 * The Letter by Paul Moravec, July 25, Santa Fe Opera
 * Sparkie: Cage and Beyond by Michael Nyman, with Carsten Nicolai
 * Brief Encounter by André Previn, May 1, Houston Grand Opera
 * The Lunch Box by Thanapoom Sirichang, March 26, Hobart, Tasmania
 * Prima Donna by Rufus Wainwright, July, Palace Theatre, Manchester

Albums

 * Nicola Benedetti – Fantasie
 * Bradley Joseph – Suites & Sweets
 * Julian Lloyd Webber – Romantic Cello Concertos
 * Hayley Westenra – Winter Magic

Musical films

 * La Danse
 * Mao's Last Dancer
 * Pianomania
 * The Soloist

Deaths

 * January 13 – Mansour Rahbani, 83, Lebanese composer
 * January 14 – Angela Morley, 84, English conductor and composer
 * January 15 – Veronica Dudarova, 92, Russian symphony conductor
 * January 23 – George Perle, 93, American composer and theorist
 * January 31 – Erland von Koch, 98, Swedish composer
 * February 1 – Lukas Foss, 86, American pianist, conductor and composer
 * February 24
 * Svatopluk Havelka, 83, Czech composer
 * Pearl Lang, 87, American dancer and choreographer
 * March 29 – Maurice Jarre, 84, French composer
 * April 10 – Richard Arnell, 91, English composer
 * June 22 – Betty Allen, 82, American mezzo-soprano
 * July 16 – D. K. Pattammal, 90, Indian classical singer
 * July 27– George Russell, 86, American composer
 * August 18 – Hildegard Behrens, 72, German opera singer
 * September 1 – Erich Kunzel, 74, American conductor
 * September 17 – Leon Kirchner, 90, American composer
 * September 25 – Alicia de Larrocha, 86, Spanish pianist and composer
 * October 12 – Ian Wallace, 90, British singer

Classical Brits

 * Male of the Year — Gustavo Dudamel
 * Female of the Year — Alison Balsom
 * Composer of the Year — Howard Goodall
 * Young British Classical Performer — Alina Ibragimova
 * Album of the Year — Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Spirit of the Glen–Journey
 * Soundtrack of the Year — The Dark Knight — Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
 * Critics' Award — Sir Charles Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra — Mozart Symphonies nos. 38–41
 * Lifetime Achievement In Music — José Carreras

Grammy Awards

 * See 51st Grammy Awards