The finalists for the 2020 Art Music Awards have been unveiled, with organisers describing this year’s selection as “the most vibrant and surprising line-up of shortlisted artists, works and performances” the event has ever seen.
This year’s shortlist was narrowed down from a record 278 nominations across 13 categories, with winners set to be unveiled on September 8 during a virtual awards ceremony.
"2020 has brought so much grief. Many of the world's preoccupations are proving empty," composer and pianist Barney McAll said when details around the 2020 Art Music Awards were revealed last month.
"We can take solace in the truthfulness of our art music, a music that has always reflected a battle for awareness and manifested a force for transformation and renewal. Massive change has now become imperative to our survival as a species. I am honoured to be part of a musical culture that can only become increasingly important as so much emptiness is spotlighted and amended."
The annual event, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, will be live-streamed via APRA AMCOS’ YouTube on September 8 from 7:00pm AEST.
Check out the full list of finalists below.
Work of the Year - Choral
Title: A Civic Space
Composer: Julian Day
Performer: Musicians from the Barossa region
Title: I Am Martuwarra
Composer: Paul Stanhope, text by Steve Hawke
Performer: Gondwana Choirs, Luminescence Chamber Singers, Valla Voices, Hunter Singers, and Resonance and Lyn Williams, conductor
Title: Requiem-Recomposed
Composer: Gordon Hamilton
Performer: Omega Ensemble and The Australian Voices and Gordon Hamilton, conductor
Title: Singing The Love
Composer: Ross Edwards
Performer: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge and Stephen Cleobury, conductor
Publisher: BMG AM
Work of the Year - Dramatic
Title: Ned Kelly
Composer: Luke Styles, librettist Peter Goldsworthy
Performer: Lost and Found Opera and Chris van Tuinen, conductor
Publisher: G Schirmer Australia
Title: Oscar and Lucinda
Composer: Elliott Gyger, librettist Pierce Wilcox
Performer: Sydney Chamber Opera and Jack Symonds, conductor
Title: Out Of Chaos
Composer: Ekrem Eli Phoenix
Performer: Gravity and Other Myths
Title: Speechless
Composer: Cat Hope
Performer: Judith Dodsworth, Karina Utomo, Tara Tiba, Sage Pbbbt (soloists), Australian Bass Orchestra, Decibel New Music Ensemble and Aaron Wyatt, conductor
Work of the Year - Jazz
Title: Aventurine
Composer: Linda May Han Oh
Performer: Linda May Han Oh, Greg Ward, Matt Mitchell, Ches Smith, Fung Chern Hwei, Sara Caswell, Benni von Gutzeit, Jeremy Harman, Invenio with Gian Slater, director
Title: Displacement
Composer: Josh Kelly
Performer: Josh Kelly, Niran Dasika, Aviva Endean, Mary Rapp, Jacques Emery and Maria Moles
Title: The Colours Of Grief
Composer: Adam Page
Performer: The Adam Page Ensemble
Title: Umi No Uzu
Composer: Aaron Choulai
Performer: Australian Art Orchestra, Aaron Choulai, Miyama McQueen-Tokita and Kojoe
Work of the Year – Large Ensemble
Title: Beatrice
Composer: Kate Moore
Performer: Vivian Choi, piano, Willoughby Symphony, and Fabian Russell, conductor
Publisher: Donemus Publishing BV
Title: Flinders & Trim
Composer: Maria Grenfell
Performer: Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and Eivind Aadland, conductor
Title: Icarus
Composer: Harry Sdraulig
Performer: Lloyd Hudson, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and Elena Schwarz, conductor
Title: Viola Concerto
Composer: James Ledger
Performer: Brett Dean, West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Fabien Gabel, conductor
Work of the Year - Chamber Music
Title: Cleave
Composer: Natasha Anderson
Performer: Ensemble Offspring, International Contemporary Ensemble and Ensemble Adapter
Title: passing bells: day
Composer: Chris Dench
Performer: Alex Raineri
Title: String Quartet no. 3: Hidden Agendas
Composer: Brett Dean
Performer: Doric String Quartet
Publisher: Hal Leonard/Boosey & Hawkes Group
Title: Where The Quiet Rests
Composer: John Pax
Performer: WasteLAnd
Work of the Year - Electroacoustic/Sound Art
Title: Coronal Mass
Composer: Amanda Cole with lead artist Michaela Gleave, programmer Warren Armstrong, sound engineer Bob Scott and scientists Martin Connors and Ian Schofield
Title: Diaspora
Composer: Robin Fox and Erkki Veltheim in a Chamber Made Production
Performer: Robin Fox, Erkki Veltheim, Madeleine Flynn, Georgie Darvidis, Tamara Saulwick (co-direction/dramaturgy) and Nick Roux (video artist)
Title: Everywhen
Composer: Matthias Schack-Arnott
Performer: Matthias Schack-Arnott
Title: Imago
Composer: Fiona Hill
Performer: Lamorna Nightingale, Jane Sheldon and Fiona Hill
Performance of the Year – Jazz/Improvised Music
Performer: Australian Art Orchestra
Title: The Plains
Composer: Peter Knight
Performer: Joseph Franklin
Title: Amen
Composer: Joseph Franklin
Performer: Phil Slater Quintet
Title: The Cordeaux Mirror
Composer: Phil Slater
Performer: Sandy Evans, Shubha Mudgal, Aneesh Pradhan and Sirens Big Band
Title: Bridge Of Dreams
Composer: Sandy Evans, Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan
Performance of the Year – Notated Composition
Performer: Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Douglas Boyd, conductor
Title: Weave
Composer: Cathy Milliken
Performer: Louise Devenish
Title: Sheets Of Sound
Composers: Annie Hui-Hsin Hsieh, Matthias Schack-Arnott, Louise Devenish and Stuart James
Performer: Sydney Chamber Opera and Jack Symonds, conductor
Title: Oscar & Lucinda
Composer: Elliott Gyger, librettist Pierce Wilcox
Performer: Zubin Kanga
Title: Rhythm City
Composer: Tristan Coelho
Award for Excellence in Music Education
Australian Art Orchestra for its Creative Music Intensive
Netanela Mizrahi & Guwanbal Gurruwiwi for The Djari Project
Speak Percussion for Sounds Unheard Education Program
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for the Australian Composers’ School
Award for Excellence in a Regional Area
Bangalow Music Festival for its 2019 festival
Gillian Howell & Tura New Music for the Fitzroy Valley New Music Project
Netanela Mizrahi & Guwanbal Gurruwiwi for The Djari Project
Rae Howell for Bee-Sharp Honeybee
Award for Excellence in Experimental Music
Gelareh Pour for Garden Quartet
The Music Box Project for Shallow Listening
Nat Grant for FEED
Zubin Kanga for 2019 Performances of Ballast by Jon Rose
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