Harris Institute Alumni Henry ‘CIRKUT’ Walter Wins 2026 GRAMMY Award for Producer of the Year

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, February 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Harris Institute is proud to celebrate alumni Henry “CIRKUT” Walter, who has won the 2026 GRAMMY Award for Producer of the Year, recognizing his work on Mayhem by Lady Gaga, “APT.” by Bruno Mars and ROSÉ, and Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd.

Walter also received the GRAMMY Award for Best Dance Pop Recording for Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” while Mayhem earned Best Pop Vocal Album, marking an exceptional year of achievements at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

“It is thrilling to see a student achieving their goals,” said John Harris, President of Harris Institute. “Our faculty are proud to have contributed to this remarkable accomplishment.”

In total, Walter received seven GRAMMY nominations, including Producer of the Year; Album of the Year; Song of the Year (two nominations); Record of the Year (two nominations); and Best Dance Pop Recording. His previous accolades include a 2018 GRAMMY Award for Starboy by The Weeknd and the 2014 Jack Richardson Producer of the Year JUNO Award. With ten #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Walter is currently ranked #3 on Billboard’s “Top Producers of the 21st Century.”

Originally from Halifax, Walter completed the Audio Production Program at Harris Institute after moving to Toronto. He later relocated to Los Angeles, where he has produced and written recordings for an extensive roster of artists including Britney Spears, The Weeknd, Katy Perry, Pitbull, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Robin Thicke, among others.

Walter is also nominated for the 2026 Jack Richardson Producer of the Year JUNO Award, to be presented on Sunday, March 29, at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. The award is named in honour of Jack Richardson (1929 – 2011) who is Canada’s most honoured record producer. He taught Walter Production Applications at Harris Institute in 2006.

For a second consecutive year, Harris Institute’s Arts Management Program achieved 100% Graduate Employment in the Field of Study in the Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). For the first time in the Institute’s 36-year history, 100% of graduates earned honours with an average of over 80% from 56 courses. Harris Institute has achieved 5 annual 0% Student Loan Default Rates and its programs have achieved 16. Nearly all post-secondary schools in Canada and the US have never achieved even one 0% Default Rate.

Harris Institute ranked “best school of its kind” and was the top private college for 7 consecutive years in the ‘Media Arts Education Report’. Other schools in the top ten include Toronto Metropolitan University, Humber College, OIART and Metalworks Institute. Harris was also featured in Billboard’s ‘Top 11 Schools’ and Mix’s ‘Audio Education’s Finest’.

Harris Institute offers comprehensive programs including the 12-month Audio Production Program (APP), Arts Management Program (AMP), and 20-month Music Business Professional (MBP) program. In-person master classes are taught by award-winning industry leaders. New programs begin in November, March, and July.

For More Information

John Harris, President
Harris Institute
+1 416-367-0178
email us here

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