The Ivors Academy has announced its nominees for The Ivors Composer Awards 2020.

While there are nominees across several categories, including Chamber Orchestral and Jazz, for the purposes of this article, our sole focus will be on vocal and operatic nominees.

In the Choral category, nominees include “Bogoroditse Devo, Raduysia” by Cheryl Frances-Hoad, “Earth Song” by Rachel Portman,” “I Sing for Love” by Bernard Hughes,” “Pietà” by Richard Blackford, and “Pious Anthems and Voluntaries” by Michael Finnissy.

There were three choral nominees in the Community and Participation category including “I am Alban” by Anne Dudley, “The Big Picture” by Judith Weir, and “What do you do with an idea?” by Paul Rissmann.

“The Anvil” by Emily Howard is the lone vocal nominee in the Large Orchestra Category, while “It’s Not You, It’s Me” by Elena Langer and “Shadows That In Darkness Dwell” by Timothy Cooper were nominated in the Small Chamber category.

In the Stage Works category, the nominees included the opera “Abomination: A Dup Opera” by Conor Mitchell and “Denis & Katya” by Philip Venables.

“One of our main commitments here at BBC Radio 3 is to put a spotlight on contemporary composers, supporting their work and giving audiences the chance to discover it,” said Alan Davey, Controller BBC Radio 3 and classical music in a press release. “This is true in normal times, but it is much more relevant at the moment – while the careers of so many performers and composers are challenged due to the pandemic. We are therefore delighted to host The Ivors Composer Awards as a broadcast only ceremony on our airwaves, broadcasting all this amazing new music, and showcasing the brightest and most creative musical minds on our vital contemporary UK music scene.”

Winners will be announced on Dec. 1, 2020 on BBC Radio 3.

Below is the full list of nominees:

CHAMBER ORCHESTRAL
– GRIN by ROBIN HAIGH
for chamber orchestra
– HOVER by SALLY BEAMISH
for two oboe, two horns and strings
– PIANO CONCERTO by RYAN WIGGLESWORTH
for piano and chamber orchestra
– PROMETHEUS SYMPHONY by STUART MACRAE
for soprano, bass-baritone and chamber orchestra
– UNE SAISON EN ENFER by JOSEPHINE STEPHENSON*
for tenor and string orchestra

CHORAL
– BOGORÓD̃ITSE DÉVO, RÁDUYS̃IÂ by CHERYL FRANCES-HOAD
  for SATB choir
– EARTH SONG by RACHEL PORTMAN
  for SATB choir
– I SING OF LOVE by BERNARD HUGHES
for SATB choir (with divisi)
– PIETÀ by RICHARD BLACKFORD*
  for mezzo soprano, baritone, SATB chorus, optional children’s chorus and string orchestra
– PIOUS ANTHEMS AND VOLUNTARIES by MICHAEL FINNISSY
for soloists, organ, flute, violin and choir

COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATION
– I AM ALBAN by ANNE DUDLEY
for mixed choir, soloists, narrator and orchestra, with libretto by Ian McMillan
– MORE UP by OLIVER VIBRANS*
for chamber orchestra and electronics
– THE BIG PICTURE by JUDITH WEIR
for two choirs (unison/SATB) and instrumental ensemble
– TUQUS by BUSHRA EL-TURK*
for multi ability symphony orchestra
– WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA? by PAUL RISSMANN
for orchestra, choir, narrator and dancer, with libretto by Kobi Yamada

JAZZ COMPOSITION FOR LARGE ENSEMBLE
– A TALL TALE by TOM HAINES*
for jazz orchestra
– CREPUSCULE by CHARLIE BATES*
for jazz orchestra
– PRESENT by JONNY MANSFIELD
for jazz orchestra, choir and soloist, with libretto by Ella Hohnen-Ford
– THE PINK SHAGPILE CARPET STORY AKA THE KING OF SPANK by SAM EASTMOND*
for jazz orchestra
– WHAT IS UNDERSTANDING by JELLY CLEAVER*
for ensemble and vocals

JAZZ COMPOSITION FOR SMALL ENSEMBLE
– CALVADOS by ALEX HITCHCOCK*
for saxophones, double bass, drums and synthesizers
– ELEMENTAL UTTERANCES by MATT LONDON
for alto flute, tenor saxophone, violin, double bass, drums and voice
– NEW EARS SUITE by CALUM GOURLAY*
for tenor saxophone, tenor trombone, double bass and drums
– THE VISION THEY HAD by RENELL SHAW*
for seven-piece band
– WEIRD WEATHER by MARK LOCKHEART
for saxophones, keyboards, bass violin and drums

LARGE CHAMBER
– GLEANN CIÙIN by CLAIRE M SINGER*
for organ, violin, viola, four cello and two horns
– HONEY SIREN by OLIVER LEITH
for string ensemble
– NO 50. (THE GARDEN) by RICHARD AYRES*
for amplified ensemble, bass voice and soundtrack
– SCAR by REBECCA SAUNDERS
for 15 soloists and conductor
– THE CENTRE IS EVERYWHERE by EDMUND FINNIS*
for 12 string players

LARGE ORCHESTRAL
– CLARINET CONCERTO by MARK SIMPSON*
for clarinet and orchestra
– HAWAII HAWAII HAWAII by JOE CUTLER
for saxophone and orchestra
– HORROR VACUI by JONNY GREENWOOD
for solo violin and 68 solo strings
– NIGHT MUSIC by JASPER DOMMETT*
for orchestra
– THE ANVIL by EMILY HOWARD
for soprano, bass baritone, chamber choir, youth choir, chorus and orchestra,
with libretto by Michael Symmons Roberts

SMALL CHAMBER
– AROHA by ROBERT LAIDLOW
for string quartet
– IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME by ELENA LANGER*
for soprano, baritone and piano, with libretto by Glyn Maxwell
– KRAKEN CELLO CONCERTANTE by AMIR KONJANI*
for Kraken cello, trumpet, violin and Kraken piano
– …SHADOWS THAT IN DARKNESS DWELL… by TIMOTHY COOPER*
for counter tenor, recorder, theorbo, baroque cello and electronics
– SIX MOVEMENTS by DANIEL FARDON*
for string quartet

SOLO OR DUO
– A LINE ALONGSIDE ITSELF by NEWTON ARMSTRONG*
for solo cello with four pre-recorded cellos and electronic sounds
– CLOUD ENGINE by THOMAS GIBBS*
for solo tuba with live electronics
– DIARIES OF THE EARLY WORM by GARETH MOORCRAFT
for solo alto recorder
– DUET FOR EIGHT STRINGS by HARRISON BIRTWISTLE
for viola and cello
– KINDLY, SOFTLY by GEORGIA DENHAM*
for violin and piano

SOUND ART
– INTACT by SOPHIE COOPER*
vocal and trombone recordings edited and manipulated for the Huddersfield Immersive
  Sound System
– ON COMMON GROUND by CAROLINE DEVINE
abstract vocal fragments, synthesizers and electronic instruments, field recordings and voices
– REQUIEM FOR THE 21st CENTURY by KHYAM ALLAMI*
oud, 16-piece string section and SATB chorus
– THE SCULPTOR SPEAKS by OLIVIA LOUVEL*
electroacoustic resounding of a 1961 recording of Barbara Hepworth’s voice
– TWITTERING MACHINES by KATHY HINDE
bespoke vinyl, objects, live electronics, field recordings and video projections

STAGE WORKS
– ABOMINATION: A DUP OPERA by CONOR MITCHELL*
opera: for chamber orchestra, six soloists and SATB chorus
– DENIS & KATYA by PHILIP VENABLES
opera: for mezzo soprano, baritone, four amplified cellos, tape and video, with libretto by Ted Huffman
– A SENSE OF TIME by GABRIEL PROKOFIEV
ballet: for symphony orchestra and electronics