The Classic BRIT Awards (previously Classical BRIT Awards) are an annual awards ceremony held in the United Kingdom covering aspects of classical and crossover music, and are the equivalent of

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

's Brit Awards. The awards are organised by the

British Phonographic Industry BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...

(BPI) and were inaugurated in 2000 "in recognition of the achievements of classical musicians and the growth of classical music sales in the UK". The ceremony takes place in the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

each May. The event combines live performances with specially commissioned awards presented throughout the evening. Since 2011, the ceremony has been known as "Classic BRIT Awards". After a five-year hiatus following the 2013 ceremony, the Classic BRIT Awards returned with a ceremony broadcast from the

on 13 June 2018. It was subsequently revealed that the Classic BRIT Awards would become a biennial event, with the next ceremony scheduled to be held in 2020. However, due to the impact of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

on television networks across the globe, the 2020 live ceremony was suspended to a later date due to a ban on large gatherings by the government in March of that year. Voting for the awards is done by "an academy of industry executives, the media, the British Association of Record Dealers (BARD), members of the Musicians Union, lawyers, promoters, and orchestra leaders," except for "Album of the Year" which is voted for by listeners of Classic FM.

Awards

2000

Friday 5 May 2000. Hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald. *British Artist of the Year – Charlotte Church *Female Artist of the Year – Martha Argerich *Male Artist of the Year – Bryn Terfel *Critics' Award – Ian Bostridge *Album of the Year – Andrea Bocelli – '' Sacred Arias'' *Best selling classical album – Andrea Bocelli – '' Sacred Arias'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Choir of King's College, Cambridge – Rachmaninoff Vespers *Young British Classical Performer – Daniel Harding * Outstanding Contribution to Music – Nigel Kennedy

2001

Thursday 31 May 2001. Hosted by Katie Derham. *Female Artist of the Year – Angela Gheorghiu *Male Artist of the Year – Nigel Kennedy *Album of the Year – Russell Watson – '' The Voice'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Sir Simon Rattle and Berliner Philharmoniker – '' Mahler, 10th Symphony'' *Young British Classical Performer – Freddy Kempf *Critics' Award – Sir Simon Rattle and Berliner Philarmoniker – ''Mahler, 10th Symphony'' *Best-selling Debut Album – Russell Watson – ''The Voice'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music – Sir Simon Rattle

2002

Wednesday 22 May 2002. Hosted by Katie Derham. *Female Artist of the Year – Cecilia Bartoli *Male Artist of the Year – Sir Colin Davis *Album of the Year – Russell Watson – '' Encore'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Richard Hickox and London Symphony Orchestra – '' Vaughan Williams, A London Symphony'' *Contemporary Music Award – Tan Dun – '' Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' *Young British Classical Performer – Guy Johnston *Critics' Award – Sir Colin Davis and London Symphony Orchestra – '' Berlioz, Les Troyens'' *Biggest-selling Classical Album – Russell Watson – ''Encore'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music – Andrea Bocelli

2003

Thursday 22 May 2003. Hosted by Katie Derham. *Female Artist of the Year –

Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano and actress, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nom ...

*Male Artist of the Year – Sir Simon Rattle *Album of the Year – Andrea Bocelli – '' Sentimento'' *Best selling classical album – Andrea Bocelli – '' Sentimento'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle – '' Mahler, Symphony no. 5'' *Contemporary Music Award –

Arvo Pärt Arvo Pärt (; born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of contemporary classical music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs tintinnabuli, a compositional technique he invented. Pärt's music is in p ...

– ''Orient & Occident'' *Young British Classical Performer – Chloë Hanslip *Critics' Award – Murray Perahia – '' Chopin, Etudes Opus 10, Opus 25'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music – Cecilia Bartoli

2004

Wednesday 26 May 2004. Hosted by Katie Derham. *Female Artist of the Year – Cecilia Bartoli *Male Artist of the Year – Bryn Terfel *Album of the Year – Bryn Terfel – ''Bryn'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Sir Simon Rattle and Vienna Philharmonic – ''

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

Symphonies'' *Contemporary Music Award –

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

– '' The Hours'' *Young British Classical Performer – Daniel Hope *Critics' Award – Vengerov, Rostropovich and London Symphony Orchestra – '' Britten/ Walton Concertos'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music –

2005

Wednesday 25 May 2005. Hosted by Lesley Garrett. *Female Artist of the Year – Marin Alsop *Male Artist of the Year – Bryn Terfel *Album of the Year – Katherine Jenkins – ''Second Nature'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Harry Christophers and The Sixteen – ''Renaissance'' *Contemporary Music Award –

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...

– '' On the Transmigration of Souls'' *Soundtrack Composer Award –

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

– '' Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' and '' The Terminal'' *Young British Classical Performer – Natalie Clein *Critics' Award – Stephen Hough – '' Rachmaninov Piano Concertos'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music – James Galway

2006

Thursday 4 May 2006. Hosted by Michael Parkinson. *Singer of the Year – Andreas Scholl – ''Arias for Senesino'' *Instrumentalist of the Year – Leif Ove Andsnes – '' Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 1 and 2'' *Album of the Year – Katherine Jenkins – ''Living A Dream'' *Ensemble/Orchestral Album of the Year – Takács Quartet – ''

: The Late String Quartets'' *Contemporary Music Award – James MacMillan – ''Symphony no 3, Silence'' *Soundtrack/Musical Theatre Composer Award – Dario Marianelli – '' Pride & Prejudice'' *Young British Classical Performer – Alison Balsom *Critics' Award – Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra, Plácido Domingo, Antonio Pappano – '' Tristan und Isolde'' *Lifetime Achievement – Plácido Domingo

2007

Thursday 3 May 2007. Hosted by Fern Britton. *Singer of the Year – Anna Netrebko – ''Russian Album & Violetta'' *Instrumentalist of the Year – Leif Ove Andsnes – ''Horizons'' *Album of the Year –

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

– ''Ecce Cor Meum'' *Contemporary Composer of the Year –

– '' The Dharma at Big Sur/ My Father Knew Charles Ives'' *Classical Recording of the Year – Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle – '' Holst, The Planets'' *Soundtrack Composer of the Year – George Fenton – '' Planet Earth'' *Young British Classical Performer – Ruth Palmer *Critics' Award – Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, RIAS Kammerchor,

René Jacobs René Jacobs (born 30 October 1946) is a Belgian musician. He came to fame as a countertenor, but later in his career he became known as a conductor of baroque and classical opera. Biography Countertenor Born in Ghent, Jacobs began his musi ...

– ''

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

, La Clemenza di Tito'' *Lifetime Achievement – Vernon Handley

2008

Thursday 8 May 2008. Hosted by

Myleene Klass Myleene Angela Klass (born 6 April 1978) is an English musician, singer, television presenter and model. She was a member of the pop group Hear'Say, and later released two solo classical crossover albums in 2003 and 2007. More recently, Klass ...

. *Male of the Year – Sir Colin Davis *Female of the Year – Anna Netrebko *Young British Classical Performer –

Nicola Benedetti Nicola Joy Nadia Benedetti (born 20 July 1987) is a Scottish classical solo violinist and festival director. Her ability was recognised when she was a child, including the award of BBC Young Musician of the Year when she was 16. She works wi ...

*Album of the Year – Blake – ''Blake'' *Soundtrack of the Year – Blood Diamond – James Newton Howard *Critics' Award – Steven Isserlis – ''Bach: Cello Suites'' *Outstanding Contribution — Andrew Lloyd Webber

2009

Thursday 14 May 2009. Hosted by

. *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 Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, five Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards and a Tony ...

and James Newton Howard *Critics' Award – Sir Charles Mackerras/ Scottish Chamber Orchestra – ''Mozart Symphonies nos. 38–41'' *Lifetime Achievement in Music – José Carreras

2010

Thursday 13 May 2010. Hosted by

. *Male Artist of the Year – Vasily Petrenko *Female Artist of the Year – Angela Gheorghiu *Composer of the Year – Thomas Ades – ''The Tempest'' *Young British Classical Performer or Group of the Year – Jack Liebeck *Album of the Year – Only Men Aloud! – ''Band of Brothers'' *Soundtrack of the Year – '' Revolutionary Road'' –

Thomas Newman Thomas Montgomery Newman (born October 20, 1955) is an American composer, conductor and orchestrator. He is best known for his film scores, earning accolades of six Grammy Award, Grammy Awards, an Emmy Awards, Emmy Award, two British Academy F ...

*Critics' Award – Orchestra e Coro dell' Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Antonio Pappano with Rolando Villazón, Anja Harteros, Sonja Ganassi and Rene Pape – Messa da Requiem *Lifetime Achievement in Music – Kiri Te Kanawa

2011

Thursday 12 May 2011. Hosted by

. *Male Artist of the Year – Antonio Pappano *Female Artist of the Year – Alison Balsom *Newcomer Award – Vilde Frang *Composer of the Year –

*Critics' Award – Tasmin Little *Artist of the Decade – Il Divo *Album of the Year – André Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra (Decca) – ''Moonlight Serenade'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music – John Barry

2012

Tuesday 2 October 2012. Hosted by

. *International Artist of the Year – Andrea Bocelli *Lifetime Achievement Award –

*Special Recognition Award – Classic FM (UK) *Female Artist of the Year –

*Male Artist of the Year – Vasily Petrenko *Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Milos Karadaglic *Composer of the Year –

*Critics Award – Benjamin Grosvenor *Album of the Year – '' And the Waltz Goes On'' *Single of the Year – " Wherever You Are"

2013

Wednesday 2 October 2013. Hosted by

. *International Artist of the Year – Lang Lang *Lifetime Achievement Award – Luciano Pavarotti (posthumous) *Female Artist of the Year –

*Male Artist of the Year – Daniel Barenboim *Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Tine Thing Helseth *Composer of the Year –

*Critics Award – Jonas Kaufmann *Album of the Year – André Rieu, ''Magic of the Movies'' *Outstanding Contribution to Music;

2018

Wednesday 13 June 2018. Hosted by

and Alexander Armstrong *Female Artist of the Year –

*Male Artist of the Year – Sheku Kanneh-Mason *Group of the Year – Michael Ball & Alfie Boe *Soundtrack of the Year — The Greatest Showman OST ( Benj Pasek & Justin Paul) *Critics' Choice in association with Apple Music – Sheku Kanneh-Mason *Classic FM Album of the Year – Michael Ball & Alfie Boe *Classic BRITs Icon – Andrea Bocelli *Sound of Classical 2018 – Jess Gillam *PPL Classic BRITs Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Tokio Myers *Special Recognition Award for Musical Theatre & Education – Andrew Lloyd Webber *Lifetime Achievement Award – Dame Vera Lynn

2019

Not held.

References

External links