Terfel leads Classical Brits nods

Bryn Terfel picked up two awards last year

Welsh bass baritone Bryn Terfel leads the nominations for the sixth annual Classical Brit Awards.

Terfel's album Silent Noon - with Malcolm Martineau - has received nods in the album of the year and Ensemble/ Orchestral album of the year groups.

He is also nominated for Male Artist of the Year, where he faces competition from Sir Colin Davis and Aled Jones.

Strictly Come Dancing star Jones has also been named in the album of the year category with The Christmas Album.

Composer award

Also battling for the album award are Duel, Katherine Jenkins for her two albums Premiere and Second Nature, Sir James Galway, Libera, Ludovico Einaudi, violinist Vanessa-Mae, and The Sixteen/Harry Christophers for Renaissance.

The contemporary music award will see Elvis Costello pitted against John Adams and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

The soundtrack composer award - a new award for 2005 - sees an eclectic mix of Jocelyn Pook for the Merchant of Venice, John Williams for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Nigel Hess for Ladies in Lavender.

Marin Alsop receives a nomination in the female artist of the year category. She was nominated in the same category last year but beaten by Cecilia Bartoli.

Music sales

Meanwhile, violinist Jack Liebeck, cellist Natalie Clein and soprano Sally Matthews are all vying for the much-coveted young British classical performer of the year award.

The Classical Brits award ceremony will be held at London's Royal Albert Hall on 25 May 2005.

Welsh soprano Katherine Jenkins and the celebrated flautist Sir James Galway will perform at the ceremony.

They will be joined by BBC Young Musician of the Year Nicola Benedetti; Russian soprano Anna Netrebko; Karl Jenkins and Julian Lloyd Webber, who will be performing with a special guest.

The Classical Brit Awards were established in 2000 to recognise the outstanding achievements of classical musicians and the growth of classical music sales in the UK.

The ceremony will be broadcast on ITV1 and ITV3 on Sunday 29 May.