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's Brit Awards. The awards are organised by the British Phonographic Industry (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 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 Royal Albert Hall 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 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 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 – 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 Symphonies Contemporary Music Award – Philip Glass – The Hours Young British Classical Performer – Daniel Hope Critics' Award – Vengerov, Rostropovich and London Symphony Orchestra – Britten/Walton Concertos Outstanding Contribution to Music – Renée Fleming
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 – On the Transmigration of Souls Soundtrack Composer Award – John Williams – 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 – Beethoven: 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 – Ecce Cor Meum Contemporary Composer of the Year – John Adams – 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 – Mozart, La Clemenza di Tito Lifetime Achievement – Vernon Handley
2008 Thursday 8 May 2008. Hosted by Myleene Klass.
Male of the Year – Sir Colin Davis Female of the Year – Anna Netrebko Young British Classical Performer – Nicola Benedetti 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 Myleene Klass.
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
2010 Thursday 13 May 2010. Hosted by Myleene Klass.
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 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 Myleene Klass.
Male Artist of the Year – Antonio Pappano Female Artist of the Year – Alison Balsom Newcomer Award – Vilde Frang Composer of the Year – Arvo Pärt 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 Myleene Klass.
International Artist of the Year – Andrea Bocelli Lifetime Achievement Award – John Williams Special Recognition Award – Classic FM (UK) Female Artist of the Year – Nicola Benedetti Male Artist of the Year – Vasily Petrenko Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Milos Karadaglic Composer of the Year – John Williams 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 Myleene Klass.
International Artist of the Year – Lang Lang Lifetime Achievement Award – Luciano Pavarotti (posthumous) Female Artist of the Year – Nicola Benedetti Male Artist of the Year – Daniel Barenboim Breakthrough Artist of the Year – Tine Thing Helseth Composer of the Year – Hans Zimmer Critics Award – Jonas Kaufmann Album of the Year – André Rieu, Magic of the Movies Outstanding Contribution to Music; Hans Zimmer
2018 Wednesday 13 June 2018. Hosted by Myleene Klass and Alexander Armstrong
Female Artist of the Year – Renée Fleming 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
Classic BRIT Awards Official website BRIT Awards Official website 2000 Awards — BBC News 2001 Awards — BBC News 2002 Awards — BBC News 2003 Awards — BBC News 2004 Awards — BBC News 2005 Awards — BBC News 2006 Awards — BBC News 2007 Awards — BBC News 2010 Awards — Classic FM 2011 Awards — Classic FM 2012 Awards — Classic FM