The tenth annual Classical BRIT Awards has honoured the British composer Howard Goodall has been awarded Composer of the Year at the 2009 Classical BRIT Awards, in a glittering gala event held in London's Royal Albert Hall on 14 May.

Receiving his award from British actor David Suchet, Goodall admitted: “I’m not going to lie about this – it’s fantastic!”

His album Eternal Light: A Requiem features performances by Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford and London Music, conducted by Stephen Darlington with soloists Natasha Marsh, Alfie Boe and Christopher Maltman.

As a composer of choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores, as well as an award-winning broadcaster and energetic campaigner for music education, Howard Goodall was appointed as England’s first ever National Ambassador for Singing in 2007 and he is currently Classic FM’s Composer-in-Residence.

His most recent choral album Enchanted Voices ("the unique sound of 21st century chant") has been riding high in the classical charts since its release on 23 March.