Sting topped the classical albums chart with Songs from the Labyrinth

They are up against Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, who also features in the categories for best instrumentalist and top young British performer.

Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel, Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon and UK choir The Sixteen each have two nominations.

The ceremony will be held in the Royal Albert Hall in London on 3 May.

Albums

There are 10 releases in line for the album of the year award, to be chosen by listeners to Classic FM.

Benedetti, 19, was the BBC's Young Musician of the Year in 2004

These include Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins, who took the prize in 2005 and 2006, plus the Fron Male Voice Choir, also from Wales, and British choral quartet All Angels.

And completing the list are English tenor Alfie Boe and London schoolboys Libera, plus The Sixteen and Terfel.

Benedetti faces competition for the instrumentalist award from last year's winner of the prize, Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, as well as English trumpeter Alison Balsom.

And she is listed alongside Scottish tenor Nicky Spence and English violinist Ruth Palmer for best young performer.

Composers

The singer of the year category is between Villazon, Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and English baritone Simon Keenlyside.

Jenkins has won the award for best album in each of the last two years

Villazon's album Opera Recital is included in the critics' award, which highlights "performances and notable achievements" and is chosen by a panel of experts from the British media.

The two other nominees are Terfel, for Tutto Mozart, and the Freiberg Baroque Orchestra, RIAS Kammerchoir and Rene Jacobs, with Mozart/La Clemenza di Tito.

The music from the BBC's award-winning nature series Planet Earth has earned a nomination for George Fenton in the category of soundtrack composer of the year.

John Williams is also included, for his contribution to Steven Spielberg's Munich, along with James Newton, who created the soundtrack to The Village, a film by M Night Shyamalan.