Entries open for one of the country’s biggest music prizes Melbourne Prize for Music 2016 & Awards
Victoria’s vibrant music community will tune up for big rewards as entries open today for Australia’s most valuable and sought after music prize – the Melbourne Prize for Music 2016 and Awards.
Providing opportunities for Victorian musicians across ALL music genres, including performers and composers, and valued at more than $130,000 in total, the Melbourne Prize for Music 2016 and Awards offers five categories, plus a public choice award. To continue the 10th anniversary celebrations, two new categories valued at $45,000 in total are being offered.
Melbourne Prize Trust Executive Director, Mr Simon Warrender, said with the generous cross-sector community investment, the Melbourne Prize for Music 2016 and Awards provide significant opportunities for Victorian musicians across all genres.
The Melbourne Prize for Music 2016 and Awards include the following categories:
- $60,000 MELBOURNE PRIZE FOR MUSIC 2016 is for a Victorian musician, or group of musicians, whose work has made an outstanding contribution to Australian music and has enriched cultural and public life. Supported by The Vera Moore Foundation.
- $30,000 OUTSTANDING MUSICIANS AWARD 2016 – plus $2,500 Qantas international travel is for a Victorian musician or group for a recent work representing outstanding creativity and skill. Supported by the Melbourne Prize Trust.
- $25,000 BELEURA AWARD FOR COMPOSITION 2016 is a new category supported by The Tallis Foundation in memory of John Tallis (1911-1996) for a composition of outstanding musicianship, skill and creativity. All genres of composition are eligible.
- DISTINGUISHED MUSICIANS FELLOWSHIP 2016 is a new category supported by the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (MCM) providing a commercial engagement with the VCA and MCM to the value of $20,000.
- $16,000 DEVELOPMENT AWARD 2016 is for an early career musician or group, 30 years of age and under, demonstrating outstanding musical talent with the potential to develop their professional career – comprising a $6,000 rrp. Yamaha Music Australia music instrument and equipment grant and $10,000 cash supported by The William Buckland Foundation.
- $4,000 CIVIC CHOICE AWARD 2016 supported by Readings for the finalist with the highest number of public votes. Voting opens on September 6th. Voters will go into the running to win a luxury overnight stay at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, Melbourne’s Hotel for the Arts.
The 2016 judges include six esteemed music sector professionals – Patrick Donovan, CEO Music Victoria and Chair Australian Music Industry Network, Professor Paul Grabowsky AO, Pianist, Composer, Conductor, Director Monash Academy of Performing Arts, Genevieve Lacey, Recorder Virtuoso, Artistic Director and Collaborator, Marshall McGuire, Head of Artistic Planning Melbourne Recital Centre, Helen Marcou Co-founder Bakehouse Studios and SLAM and Ronald Vermeulen, Director of Artistic Planning, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
KEY DATES.
Entries open May 25th, entries close 5pm July 11th,
Finalists announced September 6th,
Winners announced November 9th,
Free public exhibition held at Federation Square, the Exhibition and Events partner of the Melbourne Prize Trust, between 7 and 21 November 2016.
All announcements will be made at www.melbourneprize.org
For information and to enter or nominate visit www.melbourneprize.org
Entries can be made by the individual musician or group or by nomination.
Progress of the Prize can be followed via our social media platforms: