Winners announced for the first Scottish Awards for New Music

Published: 08 Mar 2017

Winners of the first Scottish Awards for New Music have been announced following an event hosted by internationally acclaimed Scottish-based opera star, Andrea Baker, at the Drygate Brewery in Glasgow on Wednesday 8 March 2017.  The event featured performances from the award-winner of the recorded new work category, cellist Robert Irvine, and award-nominee performance artist and musician, MacGillivray . 

The seven winners of the Scottish Awards for New Music 2017 are, in no particular order :

Red Note Ensemble
Help Musicians UK Award for New Music Performers of the Year, presented by Claire Geveaux

Ailie Robertson, composer and curator
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Award for Achievement in New Music, presented by Janet Archer, Chief Executive, Creative Scotland

Hanna Tuulikki for SOURCEMOUTH: LIQUIDBODY
Holiday Inn Award for Sound Art / Electroacoustic Work, presented by Oliver Searle, Chair of New Music Scotland

Robert Irvine for Songs and Lullabies, Delphian Records
EVM Award for Recorded New Work presented by Alan Morrison, Head of Music, Creative Scotland

Drake Music Scotland - Wagner’s School of Cool
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Award for Community  / Education Project presented by Gordon McPherson, Head of composition, RCS.

David Fennessy for Panopticon Dorico Award for Small/medium Scale Work sponsored by Steinberg, presented by Richard Llewelyn

Helen Grime for Two Eardley Pictures: Catterline in Winter and Snow Large Scale Work sponsored by PRS for Music presented by Stuart Fleming and Harriet Wybor

Each award itself is a work of art,  designed and created by artist Elaine Henderson. They are made from unglazed, textured black porcelain, each containing an image created from the music of the winner.

The Awards were created by New Music Scotland with financial support from Creative Scotland, to celebrate and champion the highest standards and achievements of Scotland’s composers, musicians, sound artists and ensembles. They highlight and showcase the innovative, experimental and ground-breaking work taking place in Scotland, as well as the depth and breadth of the country’s contemporary music scene.

Alan Morrison, Head of Music, Creative Scotland, said: “With such an amazingly strong set of nominees across each of the categories, the inaugural New Music Scotland Awards have instantly claimed their place on the classical calendar. These are the performers, composers and ensembles who are driving forward one of Scotland’s most exciting and experimental music sectors. Congratulations to tonight’s winners and also to the venues, festivals and record labels who bring their work to an increasingly eager public.”

Alongside the presentation of the awards the Musicians’ Union supported the performances by Robert Irvine and MacGillivray.

There were over a hundred and eighty nominations submitted by artists, audience members and the general public, reinforcing the depth and breadth of new music activity in Scotland.  Nominations ranged from amateur musicians and emerging artists, to major organisations and household names and covered a wide range of new music.

For additional press information contact:

Jane Nicolson 07887 500977 jane@artspr.uk

Andy Saunders 07794 159214 pr@newmusicscotland.co.uk

Notes to Editors

1. The Scottish Awards for New Music have been created by New Music Scotland with financial support from Creative Scotland, to celebrate and champion the highest standards and achievements of Scotland’s composers, musicians, sound artists and ensembles. They are intended to highlight and showcase the innovative, experimental and ground-breaking work taking place in Scotland, as well as the depth and breadth of the country’s contemporary music scene.
2. New Music Scotland is a network of composers, performers, programmers, producers, educators, funders and audience.  NMS facilitates the creation, production and promotion of experimental, innovative and imaginative new music. We believe that new music comes from many different cultural traditions and musical practices; what brings us all together is our passion for and belief in the intrinsic value of new music creation for individuals and society as a whole.
3. Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
4. The three panels were: Small Scale Work, Large Scale Work, Innovation and Recorded New Work were considered by Brian Irvine, Kate Molleson, Jessica Cottis and Evonne Ferguson. Categoriesof: Sound Art/Electroacoustic Work, Community Participation Project, Collaboration and New Music Performers of the Year categories were considered by Rose Dodd, Susanne Eastburn, Hugh MacDonald and Emmanuel Cocher.  Category of: Achievement in New Music was considered by Rose Dodd, Hugh MacDonald and Emmanuel Cocher.
5. The shortlisted nominations for the Scottish Awards for New Music 2017 were:
   Dorico Award for Small Scale Worksponsored by Steinberg
   Flicker! – Claire McCue
   Panopticon – David Fennessy
   The Iris Murders – Alasdair Nicolson (with libretto by John Gallas)
   
   Large Scale Work sponsored by the Performing Rights Society Piano Concerto – Martin Suckling
   The Devil Inside – Stuart MacRae (with libretto by Louise Walsh)
   Two Eardley Pictures: Catterline in Winter and Snow – Helen Grime
   
   HOLIDAY INN Sound Art / Electroacoustic Work
   SOURCEMOUTH : LIQUIDBODY – Hanna Tuulikki
   Pipeline – Pete Stollery
   Mechanical – Tim Cooper
   
   EVM Recorded New Work Ūhte – Henry MacPherson/RCS (RCS / BBC Scotland)
   Since it was the Day of Preparation… – Sir James MacMillan / Hebrides Ensemble /Synergy Vocals (Delphian)
   Songs and Lullabies – Robert Irvine (Delphian)
   
   Community Participation Project sponsored by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
   Wagner’s School of Cool – Drake Music
   Go compose! – Sound Festival
   Songs from Above and Below – John McLeod, Emily Mitchell and Geoffrey Tanti
   
   Achievement in New Music for 2016 sponsored by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Ilan Volkov and Alasdair Campbell
   Ailie Robertson
   Sound Festival
   
   New Music Performers of the Year sponsored by Help Musicians UK Red Note Ensemble
   BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
   MacGillivray