A RECORD company is continuing to hit all the right notes after picking up another top award.

Colchester-based independent label Chandos Records proved it was more than a match for the big boys in the classical music world by winning its fourth Grammy.

The award, for best small ensemble performance, was given for Spotless Rose: Hymns to the Virgin Mary, by the Phoenix Chorale.

It was the company’s second Grammy success with the choral group, who come from Arizona in the US.

Managing director Ralph Couzens said he was thrilled to see his act on the winner’s podium once more.

He said: “Chandos has always strived for technical as well as artistic excellence.

“This award is a superb testimony to that endeavour. It is wonderful the CD has been honoured in this way.”

At this year’s glitzy awards night, staff from the firm, which is based in Commerce Way, rubbed shoulders with the likes of Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and Coldplay.

And while rocker Plant made the biggest splash with Raising Sand, Essex’s classical champion has won critical praise all round.

Its victorious disc prompted Gramaphone magazine to write that “choral singing just doesn’t get much better”. The firm was started by Mr Couzens’ dad, Southend-born Brian, in 1979.

It mainly recorded rare works at first and focused on British composers, but later expanded to a catalogue of about 1,500 titles.

Performing with the Kansas City Chorale, the company won a Grammy last year for Best Engineered Classical Album with their recording of Passion Week by Grechaninov.