BBC Music Magazine has recently announced the nominations for its 2026 Awards, and voting is now open to the public. 27 recordings have been selected across nine categories.
In the Orchestral category, the nominees include Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle; a disc of Schreker, Korngold, and Krenek by the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, and an account of Handel’s Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks by Collegium 1704.
In the Concerto category, the nominees are a recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons from Baroque violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte, a recording of the Walton Cello Concerto from Jonathan Aasgaard and the Sinfonia of London, and a disc of Lindberg and Aho Clarinet Concertos by Julian Bliss.
The Opera nominees are a recording of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, starring Lise Davidsen and Gerald Finley, as well as Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle from the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karina Canellakis, and a disc of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady from John Wilson and Sinfonia of London.
The Choral selections include Handel Chandos Anthems from Arcangelo and Jonathan Cohen, J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor by Pygmalion under Raphaël Pichon, and the Tenebrae album A Prayer for Deliverance.
Christian Gerhaher’s Brahms Lieder disc is one of the Vocal contenders, as is Mahler – Songs of Fate by mezzo-soprano Anna Lucia Richter, and Lines of Life – Schubert and Kurtág from baritone Benjamin Appl.
This year’s Chamber category contains Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien in Schumann Violin Sonatas, alongside Isabelle Faust, Kristian Bezuidenhout, and Kristin von der Goltz in Bach Sonatas for Violin and Continuo, and the Marmen Quartet disc of Ligeti and Bartók.
In the Instrumental category, the nominees are Alexandre Kantorow for a Brahms and Schubert disc, a Ravel disc from Bertrand Chamayou, and VC Artist Timothy Ridout‘s collection of works by Telemann, Bach, Britten, and Shaw.
The Premiere Award nominees include a selection of new works from Liza Lim, featuring cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and William Barton on didgeridoo; cellist-vocalist Abel Selaocoe in his self-penned Four Spirits; and Dobrinka Tabakova’s Sun Triptych.
In the Newcomer Award category, there is violinist VC Artist Simone Porter in works by Biber, Hildegard von Bingen, and Reena Esmail; pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason in her solo debut Fantasie; and Czech pianist Jan Schulmeister in a debut recording of Russian repertoire.
Voting closes at midnight on Tuesday, March 3, and the winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony, which is set to take place at Kings Place, London, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
In 2026, the jury for nominations comprised Miranda Bardsley, Charlotte Smith, Nicholas Kenyon, Jo Talbot, and Andrew McGregor.
You can view the full list of nominations and cast your vote here.
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