Westenra began singing at an early age

Violinists Nigel Kennedy and Vanessa Mae, and the world's first opera band Amici Forever will join the ceremony on 26 May at London's Royal Albert Hall.

TV news presenter Katie Derham returns for a fourth year to host the ceremony.

New Zealand-born Westenra, 17, has two nominations, as does Terfel - including one for male artist of the year.

Also receiving two nominations is composer and conductor John Rutter, whose Distant Land album is nominated for contemporary music award and ensemble/orchestral album of the year.

Five of the awards will be voted for by The Classical Brit awards voting academy, which includes the media, members of the Musicians Union, promoters, industry executives and orchestra leaders.

Listeners of Classic FM will be invited to vote for the album of the year award, and a panel of media will decide the winner of the critics' award.

Nominees:

Album of the year (longlist):

Aled Jones - Higher, Amici Forever - The Opera Band, Bryn Terfel - Bryn, Denise Leigh/Jane Gilchrist - Operatunity, Dominic Miller - Shapes, Hayley Westenra - Pure, Lesley Garrett - So Deep Is The Night, Luciano Pavarotti - Ti Adoro, Ludovico Einaudi - Echoes � The Collection, Myleene Klass - Moving On

Contemporary music award:

Gidon Kremer - Happy Birthday, John Rutter - Distant Land, Phillip Glass - The Hours

Female artist of the year:

Cecilia Bartoli, Hayley Westenra, Marin Alsop

Male artist of the year:

Bryn Terfel, Sir Colin Davis, Nigel Kennedy

Ensemble/orchestral album of the year:

John Rutter/RPO - Distant Land, New College Oxford Choir/Higginbottom - Bach, St John Passion, Sir Simon Rattle/VPO - Beethoven Symphonies

Young British classical performer:

Catrin Finch, Colin Currie, Daniel Hope Critics' awards:

LSO/Jansons : Mahler/Symphony no.6, LSO (Harmonia Mundi), Rattle/VPO : Beethoven/Complete Symphonies, Vengerov/LSO/Rostropovitch: Britten/Walton/Violin Concerto

Outstanding contribution to music award: In the gift of the BPI Council Ren�e Fleming