The Classical BRIT Awards Celebrates its 10th Anniversary!

THE CLASSICAL BRIT AWARDS 2009 WITH NS&I

CELEBRATES ITS 10^TH ANNIVERSARY AND A TRIUMPHANT YEAR FOR BRITISH PERFORMERS

JOSÉ CARRERAS HONOURED WITH THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PRESENTED BY HRH THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL

BRITISH SOLDIERS WIN NS&I ALBUM OF THE YEAR WITH ALBUM RECORDED ON TOUR OF DUTY IN IRAQ

TRUMPETER ALISON BALSOM BECOMES THE FIRST BRIT TO WIN FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Performances from Faryl Smith, Plácido Domingo, Katherine Jenkins, Alison Balsom, The Priests, Lang Lang, Herbie Hancock,

Jonas Kaufmann and José Carreras

The BPI, the UK record companies trade association, celebrated ten fantastic years of The Classical BRIT Awards with NS&I at a glittering event, held at the Royal Albert Hall on 14th May 2009.  The event was attended by an array of classical stars including two of the world’s greatest tenors, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras, the two surviving members of The Three Tenors. The audience was spellbound as Carreras brought the evening to an emotional climax with a stunning performance of ‘Chitarra Romana’. He was presented with the Lifetime Achievement in Music Award.

The highlight of the classical music calendar will be broadcast on ITV1 on Tuesday 19 May at 10:35pm and will be repeated again on ITV3 on 24th May at 7:45pm.  The event was hosted for the second year running by Myleene Klass. The 10^th Anniversary Classical BRIT Awards with NS&I honoured outstanding achievements over the past 12 months with the presentation of eight awards and was attended by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall in her role as patron of the London Chamber Orchestra.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards were the victors in the prestigious NS&I Album of the Year category, with ‘Spirit of the Glen: Journey’. Recorded in Basra during the soldiers' tour of duty in Iraq, this is the first album to be made in a warzone, and the first instrumental album to win Album of the Year. It is also the first time non-professional musicians have ever won a Classical BRIT Award.

The NS&I Album of the Year is voted for by Classic FM listeners and readers of Classic FM magazine and is compiled from a list of the Top 10 selling classical albums of the past year.

Trumpeter Alison Balsom became the first Brit in the history of the awards to win Female Artist of the Year. The only female trumpeter with an exclusive major label deal and the only instrumentalist in the category, Alison Balsom fought off competition from opera stars Anna Netrebko and Danielle de Niese. Alison Balsom previously won the Classical BRIT Award for Young British Classical Performer in 2006.

James Newton Howard was an odds on favourite to win, with two nominations in the same category. He picks up his second award in as many years as winner of Soundtrack of the Year. Along with fellow composer Hans Zimmer their soundtrack to ‘The Dark Knight’, the second of the new Batman movies starring Christian Bale, was chosen by a panel of critics from film and television.

Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel has had an amazing year, one that saw him lead the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra at sell-out UK concerts in April, garnering rave reviews and winning the award for Male Artist of the Year, a category that included established conductors Sir Colin Davis and Sir Charles Mackerras but eventually went to the youngest of the nominees.

Violinist Alina Ibragimova was the winner of Young British Classical Performer Award. The former Russian who moved to England in 1996 triumphed over soprano Elizabeth Watts and the young choral collective Libera.

Nominated in two categories this year, conductor Sir Charles Mackerras is this year’s recipient of the Critics’ Award. Chosen by a panel of critics from the national media, the award is for Mozart Symphonies nos. 38-41 performed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. Composer of the Year was awarded to Howard Goodall for Eternal Light – A Requiem, his first award following his debut nomination.

This year’s show drew even bigger support from the stars of classical music: it was indeed a fitting celebration of the event’s 10^th show. Performances on the night came from Faryl Smith who opened the show with ‘River Of Light’, Plácido Domingo and Katherine Jenkins joined forces to perform ‘A Mother’s Wonderment’, Alison Balsom stunned the audience performing the Rondo from Hummel's Trumpet Concerto in E Flat and Northern Ireland Fathers, The Priests, made their Royal Albert Hall debut with ‘Ave Maria’. With the first of two performances piano maestro Lang Lang enthralled the capacity audience with ‘Chopin Polonaise Op. 53 in A Flat Major – Heroic’ before uniting for a unique show-stopping performance of Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ with jazz legend Herbie Hancock. German tenor Jonas Kaufmann took  to the stage and sang Puccini’s ‘E Lucevan Le Stelle’ and Verdi’s ‘Donna e Mobile’ before Katherine Jenkins returned for a solo performance of Rossini’s ‘Una Voce Poca Fa’. The evening was completed with José Carreras and ‘Chitarra Romana’. The London Chamber Orchestra conducted by Christopher Warren Green accompanied all performers.

Presenters on the night included HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, David Suchet, Jenny Agutter, David Mellor, Aled Jones, Darcey Bussell, Hayley Mills, Simon Bates and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

The Classical BRIT Awards was established in 2000 to recognise the outstanding achievements of classical musicians and the success of classical music sales in the UK.  The Awards have proved their vital importance to the UK music industry with the huge impact the event has on the record sales of those artists performing, winning and nominated.

A full list of the winners is below: