Last week, prominent British classical music magazine Gramophone announced the winners of their 2011 Awards.
Within classical music, an industry of few official honors or distinctions, the Gramophone Awards have become an important way to recognize excellence in the field.
Prefacing the award announcement, the magazine staff said, "Rarely have the Gramophone Awards so effortlessly celebrated the breadth of what the classical record industry has to offer, and this year there are a few surprises, too."
Expert critics choose the winners for all categories except one; the Artist of the Year Award is up to the fans, who vote for their favorite musician online. This year's winner surprised few: the brazen Gustavo Dudamel, Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Check Out The Winners For The Awards' 23 Categories:
Disc Awards
- Baroque Instrumental: CPE Bach Harpsichord Concertos, Andreas Staier; Freiburg Baroque / Petra Müllejans (Harmonia Mundi HMC902083/84)
- Baroque Vocal: Handel Apollo e Dafne, La Risonanza (Glossa GCD921527)
- Chamber: Dvorák String Quartets Op. 106 & 96, Pavel Haas Quartet (Supraphon SU40382)
- Choral: Elgar The Kingdom, Claire Rutter; Susan Bickley; John Hudson; Iain Paterson; Hallé Choir & Orchestra / Sir Mark Elder (Hallé CDHLD7526)
- Concerto: Debussy Fantaisie, Ravel Piano Concertos, Massenet Piano works, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet; BBC Symphony Orchestra / Yan Pascal Tortelier (Chandos CHSA5084)
- Contemporary: Birtwistle Night's Black Bird, Hallé Orchestra / Ryan Wigglesworth (NMC NMCD156)
- DVD Documentary: Carlos Kleiber: Traces to Nowhere, A film by Eric Schultz Arthaus (101553)
- DVD Performance: Verdi Don Carlo, Soloists; Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Antonio Pappano (EMI Classics 6316099)
- Early Music: Striggio Mass in 40 Parts etc., I Fagiolini et al / Robert Hollingworth (Decca 4782734)
- Historic: Mahler/Cooke Symphony No 10, LSO, Philharmonia / Berthold Goldschmidt (Testament SBT31457)
- Instrumental: Brahms Handel Variations. Piano works, Opp 118 & 119, Murray Perahia (Sony Classical 88697727252)
- Opera: Rossini Ermione, Soloists; Geoffrey Matchell Choir; LPOÂ / David Parry (Opera Rara ORC42)
- Orchestral: Shostakovich Symphony No 10, RLPO / Vasily Petrenko (Naxos 8572461)
- Recital: Verismo Arias Various, Jonas Kaufmann; Chorus and Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Academy, Rome / Antonio Pappano (Decca Classics 4782258)
- Solo vocal: Britten Songs & Proverbs of William Blake, Gerald Finley; Julius Drake (Hyperion CDA67778)
- Editor's Choice: Rossini Stabat Mater, Netrebko; Santa Cecilia Orchestra & Choir / Pappano (EMI 6405292)
Special Awards
- Artist of the Year: Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
- Specialist Classical Chart: Miloš Karadagli – The Guitar
- Label of the Year: Wigmore Hall Live
- Young Artist of the Year: Miloš Karadagli
- Special Achievement: The Bach Cantata Pilgrimage on SDG
- Lifetime Achievement: Dame Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano
- Music in the Community Award: The Cobweb Orchestra