37 Composers Nominated for 2018 British Composer Awards

Oliver Knussen

37 Composers Nominated for 2018 British Composer Awards

Nominees include Oliver Knussen, Charlotte Bray, James Dillon and Emily Peasgood.

The nominations for the 2018 British Composer Awards have been announced by BASCA and PRS for Music. 

The Awards recognise works by a composer born in UK or ordinarily resident in the UK. Works must have received a UK premiere between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018. A total of 37 composers have been nominated across 12 categories, selected from a total of 560 submissions.

Works nominated include Tanz/haus: triptych 2017 by James Dillon, which will be given its London premiere at the recently announced SoundState Festival; Emily Peasgood’s Halfway to Heaven, an interactive installation in a Baptist burial ground; Conall Gleeson’s Solace, written for the New Note Orchestra and which explores the experience of drug and alcohol addiction; and Thomas Adès‘ The Exterminating Angel, an opera based on the 1962 Luis Bunuel film of the same name.

2018 was the first year the judging process was anonymous. Of the shortlisted works, 10 are by female composers (27%), and 51% of the composers are under 40 and are first-time nominees.

See the full list of nominated works below.

The award ceremony will take place on 4 December at the British Museum, presented by broadcasters Andrew McGregor and Sara Mohr-Pietsch, and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 9 December. The ceremony will feature a performance in memory of Oliver Knussen, who passsed away in July this year, and the presentation of two additional awards, the British Composer Award for Innovation, and the British Composer Award for Inspiration. 

For further information, visit www.britishcomposerawards.com.

British Composer Awards 2018:

Amateur or Young Performers
Works for voluntary, amateur or youth choirs and ensembles
Fiery Tales – Richard Bullen
Microscopic Dances – Oliver Searle
The Caretaker’s Guide to the Orchestra – Jeremy Holland-Smith

Chamber Ensemble
Six or more instruments or voices written for one player or voice per part
Libro di fiammelle e ombre – James Weeks
O Hototogisu! – Oliver Knussen
Tanz/haus : triptych 2017 – James Dillon

Choral
A cappella or accompanied, except works for choir and orchestra
In the Land of Uz – Judith Weir
Mielo – Raymond Yiu
Unending Love – Roxanna Panufnik

Community or Educational Project
Works demonstrating a composer’s work in community engagement alongside compositional craft
Solace – Conall Gleeson
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner- a retelling for our times – Dee Isaacs
The Umbrella – Liam Taylor-West

Jazz Composition for Large Ensemble
Nine or more instruments or voices that contain interactive improvisation as an essential element
Afronaut – Cassie Kinoshi
Rituals – Matt London
Time – Finlay Panter

Jazz Composition for Small Ensemble
Up to eight instruments or voices that contain interactive improvisation as an essential element
Close to Ecstasy – Simon Lasky
Vegetarians – Ivo Neame
You’ve Got to Play the Game – Johnny Richards

Orchestral
Deep Time – Harrison Birtwistle
Recorder Concerto – Graham Fitkin
The Imaginary Museum – Julian Anderson

Small Chamber
Three to five instruments or voices written for one player or voice per part
Chant – Charlotte Bray
Lines Between – Robert Laidlow
Unbreathed – Rebecca Saunders

Solo or Duo
Instrumental or vocal music performed – one or two players or voices
A Damned Mob of Scribbling Women – Laura Bowler
Belmont Chill – William Marsey
The Harmonic Canon – Dominic Murcott

Sonic Art
Sound art installations, electronic music and works with live electronics
Halfway to Heaven – Emily Peasgood
The Otheroom – Rolf Wallin
Two Machines – Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian and Hugh Jones as ‘Crewdson & Cevanne’

Stage Works
Works specifically written for the stage, including opera, dance and musical theatre
Shorelines – Oliver Coates
The Exterminating Angel – Thomas Adès
The World’s Wife – Tom Green

Wind Band or Brass Band
Dark Arteries Suite – Gavin Higgins
Mindscapes – Lucy Pankhurst
The Turing Test – Simon Dobson

Published on 2 November 2018

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