Brits to reward The Dark Night Rises composer Hans Zimmer

German composer Hans Zimmer (AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS)

Oscar-winning film composer Hans Zimmer will be recognised with a special award at this year's Classic Brits.

The German-born musician, who has scored more than 100 films in 30 years, will pick up the Outstanding Contribution To Music award at the ceremony later this year.

Zimmer has won an Oscar for his work on The Lion King. He has worked on films such as Gladiator, Pirates Of The Caribbean and The Dark Knight Rises, and composed the main theme for the Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 video game.

In a statement, co-chairmen of the awards committee Dickon Stainer and Barry McCann said: "We are absolutely delighted to be honouring the outstanding talent of Hans Zimmer with this award.

"Hans Zimmer's recent work, including Inception, has been a dominant force for classical music specifically in the digital-download era.

"It is only appropriate that four years on from his 2009 win for Soundtrack of the Year for The Dark Knight he should receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music at this year's ceremony."

The event, formally known as Classic BRIT Awards 2013 with MasterCard, will be held at Royal Albert Hall in central London on Wednesday October 2 and be presented by Myleene Klass.

ITV will broadcast two hours of coverage of the awards on Sunday October 6.

At the awards last year the Military Wives choir won the Single of the Year gong for their Christmas chart-topper Wherever You Are and rounded off the evening by performing another hit, the Diamond Jubilee anthem Sing, accompanied by song composers Take That star Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber

PA