The winners of the 21st annual BBC Music Magazine Awards have been announced at a glittering ceremony at Kings Place in London. The BBC Music Magazine Awards are the only classical music recording awards in which the main categories are voted for by the public.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2026 - Recording of the Year
Vocal ensemble Tenebrae’s A Prayer for Deliverance on Signum Classics has been awarded the Choral Award and the most prestigious trophy of the evening – Recording of the Year. Built around a compelling contemporary setting of Psalm 13, the programme explores the ‘thresholds of light and darkness… and a longing for rest’, with performances that ‘unleash full-blooded passion without a trace of vulgarity’, according to BBC Music Magazine’s original review
Charlotte Smith, editor of BBC Music Magazine, adds: ‘This beautiful album from Tenebrae presents a timely response to an increasingly fractured world. Yet far from a disheartening experience, the singing is quietly powerful in its restraint and uplifting in its passion.’
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2026 - Personality of the Year
This year’s Personality of the Year award goes to The Sixteen’s tirelessly enthusiastic director – Harry Christophers. Founder of the exceptional choral ensemble in 1979, Christophers continues to build on The Sixteen’s myriad achievements today, and following the ensemble’s 45th anniversary in 2024, established a new training programme for 14-18 year-olds in 2025.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2026 - Premiere, Concerto and Orchestral awards
Bulgarian-British composer Dobrinka Tabakova’s Sun Triptych on ECM, featuring violist Maxim Rysanov, pianist Dasol Kim, violinist Roman Mints and the BBC Concert Orchestra, has won the Premiere Award – a radiant showcase for the composer’s vivid musical imagination.
This year’s Concerto Award, in association with ABRSM, goes to Lindberg and Aho Clarinet Concertos featuring Julian Bliss in virtuoso performanceswith the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Taavi Oramo (Signum Classics); while the Orchestral Award goes to works by Schreker, Korngold and Krenek, performed by the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, conducted by Sascha Goetzel (BIS), a thoughtful album that brings together three vital Austrian composers who were banned by dictatorships of the 1930s.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2026 - Instrumental, Vocal, Chamber, Newcomer and Opera awards
The Instrumental Award goes to violist Timothy Ridout for his bold solo album of works by Bach, Britten, Telemann and Caroline Shaw on Harmonia Mundi; while mezzo-soprano Anna Lucia Richter takes the Vocal Award for Mahler Songs of Fate accompanied by the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln – a beautiful recording of emotionally charged performances (Myrios Classics).
The Chamber Award, in association with Wigmore Hall, goes to the Marmen Quartet for their album of works by Bartók and Ligeti on BIS, magnificent performances of some of the most challenging string quartet repertoire of the 20th century; while 19-year-old Czech pianist Jan Schulmeister takes the Newcomer Award, in association with Yamaha, for his intelligent recording of works by Mussorgsky, Rachmaninov and Scriabin on Supraphon.
And finally, Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle on Pentatone takes the Opera Award – a powerful and unflinching performance by two experienced leads, mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham and bass-baritone Gábor Bretz, with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Karina Canellakis.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2026 - at Kings Place
The winners of the 2026 Awards were announced at a live ceremony at London’s Kings Place, hosted by BBC Music Magazine editor Charlotte Smith and Radio 3 presenter Tom Service, plus an exciting array of guest presenters from the worlds of music, comedy and current affairs. The ceremony also featured live performances from Newcomer Award winner Jan Schulmeister, Instrumental Award winner Timothy Ridout and The Sixteen, directed by Personality of the Year winner Harry Christophers.
Audio clips from all the winning albums can be found on the BBC Music Magazine website – https://www.classical-music.com/awards/2026-awards/ – along with full reviews. The May 2026 issue of BBC Music Magazine (on sale from 23 April) features interviews with all the winning artists.
The winners represent the absolute best of more than 900 albums reviewed each year in BBC Music Magazine, the world’s best-selling classical music magazine.
BBC Music Magazine Award Winners 2026
RECORDING OF THE YEAR & CHORAL AWARD
A Prayer for Deliverance
Works by RR Bennett, Holst, Tavener, Cecilia McDowall, Francis Pott, Caroline Shaw et al
Tenebrae/Nigel Short
Signum Classics SIGCD880 - Reviewed August 2025
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Harry Christophers, founder-director of The Sixteen
ORCHESTRAL AWARD
Schreker • Korngold • Krenek
Orchestral Works
Orchestra National des Pays de la Loire/Sascha Goetzel
BIS BIS-2722 - Reviewed December 2025
CONCERTO AWARD
Kalevi Aho • Magnus Lindberg
Clarinet Concertos
Julian Bliss (clarinet); BBC Scottish SO/Taavi Oramo
Signum Classics SIGCD898 - Reviewed November 2025
OPERA AWARD
Bartók
Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Rinat Shaham (mezzo-soprano), Gábor Bretz (bass-baritone); Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Karina Canellakis
Pentatone PTC5187225 - Reviewed June 2025
VOCAL AWARD
Mahler
Songs of Fate
Anna Lucia Richter (mezzo-soprano), Gürzenich-Orchester Köln/Jordan de Souza
Myrios Classics MYR036 - Reviewed Christmas 2025
CHAMBER AWARD
Bartok • Ligeti
Bartók: String Quartet No. 4; Ligeti: String Quartets
Marmen Quartet
BIS BIS-2693 - Reviewed February 2025
INSTRUMENTAL AWARD
Bach • Britten • Telemann • Caroline Shaw
Works for Solo Viola
Timothy Ridout (viola)
Harmonia Mundi HMM902750 - Reviewed June 2025
PREMIERE AWARD
Dobrinka Tabakova
Sun Triptych
Maxim Rysanov (viola), Dasol Kim (piano), Roman Mints (violin) et al; BBC Concert Orchestra
ECM 4878558 - Reviewed Christmas 2025
NEWCOMER AWARD
Mussorgsky • Rachmaninov • Scriabin
Piano Works
Jan Schulmeister (piano)
Supraphon SU43652 - Reviewed October 2025
