Scholl was named singer of the year for his Arias for Senesino; Bryn Terfel and Ren_e Fleming were also nominated in the category. Domingo was given a lifetime achievement award; British media report that the tenor was reduced to tears by the award.

Andsnes won instrumentalist of the year for his recording of Rachmaninoff piano concertos, beating out violinist Maxim Vengerov and pianist Angela Hewitt. Scottish composer James MacMillan won the contemporary music award for his Symphony No. 3 ("Silence"). The critics' award went to the Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra recording of Tristan und Isolde, conducted by Antonio Pappano and featuring Domingo.

Twenty-seven-year old trumpeter Alison Balsom was named best young british classical performer. Welsh mezzo Katherine Jenkins won album of the year for the second year running, for the crossover disc Living a Dream.

Dario Marianelli's soundtrack to Pride & Prejudice, performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the English Chamber Orchestra, won the soundtrack/musical theater award.

The Classical Brits, a charity event, were founded in 2000 and have become an important fixture in the British classical calendar. The event is produced by the record-industry trade association BPI, all revenues are donated to arts projects. Stars who performed at the ceremony included Rolando Villaz‹n and Kiri Te Kanawa, who sang a new arrangement of In Paradisum written for her by Karl Jenkins.