Sunday, November 03, 2024
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2011 Top Male Artist

Top Male Artist: Mario Frangoulis

Editor says: Mario Frangoulis has had a massive and diverse career, performing all over the world and with the most significant and established artists in the classical music industry (and non-classical!)  2011 marks his return to classical crossover with his new international album Beautiful Things.  With his usual world class performance drawing from all areas of his multiple musical experiences and the top writers of the genre penning the tracks, Beautiful Things proves he is one of the more important artists of the genre.

Runner Up Nominees

Alfie Boe has had a terrific year in the UK, regularly making an appearance in major media outlets and in the top ten UK charts.  He brought a huge audience to classical music when he featured in the Les Miserables Anniversary special last year and he has been unstoppable since.  It has all been rather surprising since his initial entry into the recording industry came about very quietly in 2006 on the Classic FM label.  His laid back personality, charm and one of the most stunning male vocals to come out of the UK have earned him well deserved success and a place on the nominations list.
Joe McElderry does not have the experience of his peers and his repertoire leaves much to be desired but the incredible things about McElderry are the level he is at for a beginner, and his entry into the classical world.  He won X-Factor in 2009 as a pop singer and entered a celebrity reality show about turning pop stars into opera stars.  He did so well that his direction has been completely altered.  He has brought a whole new legion of fans to CC and reached number 2 in the UK album charts; a magnificent achievement for a CC artist and one that should be acknowledged.

Michéal Castaldo has released two albums in 2011; Olive You and Extravergine.  He is the epitome of an indie artist - he works incredibly hard by touring, producing his own albums, writing his own material and arranging and translating any songs he does cover.  Most importantly his music sounds unique and distinctive.

This violinist is one of the rare few artists that can say that they appeal to a younger audience.  David Garrett is a household name in many countries, topping charts and creating new and exciting sounds for the violin.  He is a prolific artist with an insane schedule; frequently releasing new albums all over the world.  It's all the more incredible for an instrumentalist to be such a big commercial success.  Whilst there are several artists that can get the classical genre exposed in mainstream media, they can't get the attention of the younger audience; but Garrett does this with relative ease.

Notation
The winner of this award was determined by the Editor of Classical-Crossover.co.uk.