The winners of the 20th annual BBC Music Magazine Awards, in association with Cruise Collective, 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 2025 - Recording of the Year
South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim’s recording of Chopin Études Opp. 10 and 25 on Decca has been awarded the Newcomer Award, Instrumental Award and the most prestigious trophy of the evening – Recording of the Year. His outstanding achievement marks not only the first time that a single album has won three BBC Music Magazine Awards, but also the first time that a Newcomer winner has been awarded Recording of the Year – recognition of the 21-year-old’s dazzling talent.
‘Given that 2024 saw the release of many outstanding albums, I did not expect this outcome at all, and I’m so grateful,’ says Lim. ‘I strive always to harmonise what my heart tells me with what my mind dictates.’
Charlotte Smith, editor of BBC Music Magazine, adds: ‘In 20 years of BBC Music Magazine Awards, this is the first time that a performer has walked away with three prizes for a single album. And that the artist at the centre of these three prestigious awards should just have celebrated his 21st birthday is downright astonishing. But Yunchan Lim is no ordinary artist.’
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2025 - Personality of the Year
This year’s Personality of the Year award goes to a charismatic composer of exceptional versatility – Errollyn Wallen. A unique and vibrant voice, Wallen is deeply committed to promoting access to music education for every child and to demystifying the art of composing. She has capped an incredible year of achievements by becoming Master of the King’s Music.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2025 - Premiere, Orchestral and Concerto awards
British composer Adrian Sutton’s Violin Concerto and other works on Chandos, featuring violinist Fenella Humphreys and the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Michael Seal, has won the Premiere Award – a thoroughly delightful showcase of deeply felt, beautifully tuneful orchestral works.
This year’s Orchestral Award goes to Smetana’s Má vlast, performed by the Czech Philharmonic and conducted by Semyon Bychkov (Pentatone), a highlight release during the composer’s bicentennial year; while the Concerto Award goes to Vilde Frang for her agile and perceptive account of Elgar’s Violin Concerto on Warner Classics, with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Robin Ticciati.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2025 - Choral, Vocal, Chamber and Opera awards
The Choral Award goes to a must-have recording of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, performed by soloists Nicky Spence and Anna Stéphany, the Gabrieli Consort and Players, and conductor Paul McCreesh; while soprano Elsa Dreisig, mezzo Adèle Charvet and baritone Stéphane Degout take the Vocal Award for Songs by Rita Strohl, Volume 1 on La Boîte à Pépites – a revelatory album of discoveries by an unfairly overlooked French composer.
The Chamber Award goes to oboist Nicholas Daniel and pianist Julius Drake for their album of works by Robert Schumann and Clara Schumann on Chandos, ‘a recording you’ll want to sit down and savour,’ according to BBC Music Magazine’s reviewer, from a musical partnership, decades in the making.
And finally, Louise Bertin’s Fausto on Bru Zane takes the Opera Award – a largely forgotten work following its 1831 premiere, but one whose riches are beautifully revealed by a committed cast, including Karine Deshayes and Karina Gauvin with Les Talens Lyriques and the Flemish Radio Choir conducted by Christophe Rousset.
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2025 - at Kings Place
The winners of the 2025 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 sport. The ceremony also featured live performances from Chamber Award winners Nicholas Daniel and Julius Drake, and the Bevan Family Consort.
Audio clips from all the winning albums can be found on the BBC Music Magazine website – www.classical-music.com/awards – along with full reviews. The June 2025 issue of BBC Music Magazine (on sale from 15 May) 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 Awards 2025 - the winners
NEWCOMER AWARD, INSTRUMENTAL AWARD & RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Chopin Études, Opp 10 & 25
Yunchan Lim (piano)
Decca 487 0122 – Reviewed July 2024
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Errollyn Wallen, composer
ORCHESTRAL AWARD
Smetana Má vlast
Czech Philharmonic/Semyon Bychkov
Pentatone PTC 518 7203 – Reviewed April 2024
CONCERTO AWARD
Elgar Violin Concerto
Vilde Frang (violin); Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Robin Ticciati
Warner Classics 2173240942 – Reviewed December 2024
OPERA AWARD
Louise Bertin Fausto
Karine Deshayes; Karina Gauvin et al; Les Talens Lyriques; Flemish Radio Choir/Christophe Rousset
Bru Zane BZ1054 – Reviewed May 2024
CHORAL AWARD
Elgar The Dream of Gerontius
Nicky Spence et al; Gabrieli Consort and Players/Paul McCreesh
Signum Classics SIGCD785 – Reviewed July 2024
VOCAL AWARD
Rita Strohl Songs, Volume I
Elsa Dreisig (soprano), Romain Louveau (piano) et al
La Boîte à Pépites BAP04-05 – Reviewed April 2024
CHAMBER AWARD
C Schumann • R Schumann Works for Oboe and Piano
Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Julius Drake (piano)
Chandos CHAN20295 – Reviewed November 2024
PREMIERE AWARD
Adrian Sutton Violin Concerto*; Five Theatre Miniatures; A Fistful of Fives; War Horse Suite; Short Story
*Fenella Humphreys (violin); BBC Philharmonic/Michael Seal
Chandos CHAN 20349 – Reviewed December 2024