Ivors Composer Awards 2021: Eligibility expands to include livestream concerts

Entires for The Ivors Composer Awards 2021 are now open and the eligibility for entries has been expanded to reflect the impact of the pandemic on live performances. 

In addition to live concerts and broadcast performances, music that was played through a live-streamed concert will also be eligible for this year’s awards. 

Also included are works that appeared on a commercial recording for the first time, where the release is the work’s premiere.

The Ivors Composer Awards aim to recognise creative excellence in composition for contemporary classical, jazz, and sound arts.

The number of categories has been reduced from 11 in 2020 to just seven in 2021, though the categories have been made deliberately broad.

The Awards is supported by PRS for Music which represents the rights of composers, songwriters and music publishers in the UK and around the world.

“We welcome the changes to the qualifying criteria introduced by The Ivors Academy to reflect how the pandemic has changed the musical landscape and creative process,” said Nigel Elderton, Chair of PRS for Music.

The awards will take place in early December 2021, presented in association with the UK’s BBC Radio 3, which provides exclusive broadcast coverage of the event. 

To be eligible for The Ivors Composer Awards 2021, works must have received their first UK performance between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.

There is a £10 admin fee per entry, which is waived if the composer is a member of The Ivors Academy. To be eligible, composers must be UK born or be ordinarily resident in the UK.

Entries close on 18 June 2021, with the nominations announced in November followed by the award ceremony in December. 

“It’s a unique moment to recognise outstanding talent and creativity amongst composers working across contemporary classical, jazz and sound arts,” said Graham Davies, CEO of The Ivors Academy. “An Ivor Novello Award is a special recognition between peers, and I can’t wait to see what incredible works of composition are entered for this year’s awards”.