The Ivors Academy has today re-launched The Ivors Composer Awards as The Ivors Classical Awards.
In addition to recognising the achievements of some of the UK's most talented classical composers and sound artists over the past 20 years – among them Sally Beamish, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Tansy Davies, Anna Meredith, Sir John Tavener, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Errollyn Wallen – the Ivors Composer Awards have also recognised jazz composing. The Academy now aims to establish a separate Ivors Jazz Awards in 2024.
Graham Davies, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: 'At a time when classical and jazz music is under threat by our cultural institutions, it is more important than ever to showcase the very best of composition. We have a tradition in the UK for producing and nurturing outstanding composers, as seen at the King’s Coronation and in our concert halls. We are proud to increase the impact of our awards by developing a new space in our yearly programme to celebrate jazz separately to classical and sound art composition.”
Entries for The Ivors Classical Awards open today, 2 June, until 14 July. Each winner receives an Ivor Novello Award, first presented in 1956 and representing peer recognition, with categories judged by composers belonging to the Academy’s membership.
In a change from The Ivors Composer Awards, Irish as well as British composers will be eligible for consideration at The Ivors Classical Awards. Publishers will also receive greater recognition. From this year a UK music publisher will receive a nomination credit where they own or control the copyright for a nominated piece.
Last year’s winners included Joanna Marsh’s ORA Singers commission All Shall Be Well, Rebecca Saunders’ orchestral work To An Utterance and Thomas Adès’ ballet Dante. Special awards were given to virtuoso tabla player, percussionist and composer Talvin Singh for Innovation, Sir George Benjamin for Outstanding Works Collection Award and Judith Weir, who was awarded the Academy Fellowship – the highest honour bestowed by The Ivors Academy.
The Ivors Classical Awards are sponsored by PRS for Music and will take place on Tuesday 14 November 2023 at the BFI Southbank in London. BBC Radio 3 will broadcast the ceremony in a special edition of the New Music Show on Saturday 18 November at 10pm, which will also be available on BBC Sounds.
Musical works can be entered for eight award categories celebrating chamber, choral and orchestral compositions, staged works, community and participation projects and sound art, and must have received their first UK performance between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023.
Full details: https://ivorsacademy.com/awards/the-ivors-classical-awards/enter
Photo: Mark Allan