British Composer Awards 2011 - Shortlist Announced

Posted: Wednesday 19 October 2011

The 9th annual outing of the British Composer Awards continues its tradition of throwing a bright spotlight on a diverse and multi-talented set of composers whose work over the previous year has contributed significantly to contemporary composition.

Submissions were invited in a total of 13 categories this year: Instrumental Solo or Duo; Chamber; Vocal; Choral; Wind Band or Brass Band; Orchestral; Stage Works; Liturgical; Contemporary Jazz Composition; Community or Educational Project; Making Music; Sonic Art and International. In addition, Outreach, a new category for works which bring contemporary classical music and jazz to arenas and participants unaccustomed to these genres was spontaneously created in response to a significant group of entries with this aim.

BASCA and British Composer Awards Chairman Sarah Rodgers says, “Contemporary classical music is changing – it is acquiring a common currency for the 21st century and reaching into pockets of society where there is little or no history of the classical experience. It’s an important task for BASCA and the Awards to recognise this evolution and to bring value to what may be a stepping stone to a wider experience of classical music for all.”

BCA organisers have also repeated the student competition launched in 2010. The winning work, yet to be revealed, will receive a live performance at the ceremony by the highly acclaimed Heath Quartet.

Judging of all 13 categories took place during September and October using a different panel for each category, involving more than 60 music professionals including performers, conductors, promoters and festival directors. More than half of the judges are themselves composers.

Sarah Rodgers adds, “Composers who are nominated for a British Composer Award are always appreciative that the judging panels include so many fellow composers. To be recognised by your peers brings added resonance to receiving an Award.”

The British Composer Awards are presented by BASCA and sponsored by PRS for Music in association with BBC Radio 3 providing exclusive broadcast coverage of the awards on December 4.

BASCA is immensely grateful to PRS for Music for its sponsorship and for recognising the importance of celebrating classical and jazz composers.

Guy Fletcher OBE, Chairman of PRS for Music says, “PRS for Music is proud once again to be involved in the British Composer Awards – now in our ninth year of sponsorship. The breadth of talent nominated this year – both the well-established and ‘up and comings’ – demonstrate just how important the genre is in the UK. We aim to represent all of our 80,000 members across a broad musical spectrum and are dedicated to furthering the influence and vitality of contemporary classical music in the UK and beyond.”

BASCA also acknowledges the important and invaluable support for the British Composer Awards which is provided by BBC Radio 3 in its role as media partner.

Andrew Kurowski, Editor New and Specialist Music at BBC Radio 3, says, “Commissioning, performing and broadcasting new music is an important part of BBC Radio 3's remit. Taking appropriate time to acknowledge the work of UK composers has been the raison d'etre of the BCAs and BBC Radio 3 has shared these aims and supported them since the awards' inception nine years ago. We're delighted once again to be the broadcast partner for the British Composer Awards."

The winners of the 2011 British Composer Awards will be unveiled at Stationers’ Hall, London on Wednesday 30 November, and a special programme devoted to the awards will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday December 4. http://www.britishcomposerawards.com/

BASCA is delighted to announce the 2011 British Composer Awards Shortlist:

Instrumental Solo or Duo 
Oliver Knussen - Ophelia’s Last Dance
Thomas Simaku - Soliloquy IV for Bass Clarinet
William Sweeney - Sonata for Cello & Piano

Chamber
David Matthews - Horn Quintet
Anthony Payne - String Quartet No. 2
Martin Suckling - To See the Dark Between

Vocal 
Dai Fujikura - away we play
Martin Suckling - What Shall I Give?
Huw Watkins - Five Larkin Songs

Choral 
Alexander Campkin - O magnum mysterium
Francis Pott - Mass in Eight Parts
Michael Zev Gordon - Allele

Wind Band or Brass Band 
Tom Davoren - Looking In
Emily Howard - Obsidian
Lucy Pankhurst - In Pitch Black

Orchestral 
Julian Anderson - Fantasias
Simon Bainbridge - Concerti Grossi
Huw Watkins - Violin Concerto

Stage Works 
Orlando Gough - A Ring A Lamp A Thing
Tim Minchin - Matilda
Joby Talbot - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Liturgical 
Julian Anderson - Bell Mass
Francis Grier - Missa Spiritus Sancti
Gabriel Jackson - The Glory of the Lord

Sonic Art - No Award

Contemporary Jazz Composition 
Tommy Evans - The Green Seagull
Martin Kershaw - Closing In
Sid Peacock - Hallucinogenic Garden

Community or Educational Project 
John Barber - Consider the Lilies
David Bedford - The Wreck of the Titanic
Anna Meredith - Night Shift

Making Music Award 
Richard Bullen - I can’t find brumm…
Kirsty Devaney - Hadal Zone
Tim Sutton - The Seven Joys

International Award 
Gerald Barry - La Plus Forte
Brett Dean - Epitaphs
Bent Sørensen - La Mattina

Outreach 
Mira Calix, Orlando Gough, Emily Hall, Andy Mellon, Paul Sartin - Fables – A Film Opera
Graham Fitkin - PK
Julian Joseph - Shadowball