The acclaimed Melbourne Prize for Music opens entries today for 2022, heralding support for local musicians with a prize pool valued at over $90,000.
From today, Victorian musicians and groups, including performers and composers, can apply for significant career development opportunities by entering Australia’s most valuable and sought-after music prize – the Melbourne Prize for Music 2022 & Awards.
Valued at more than $90,000, the Melbourne Prize for Music 2022 & Awards is open to entrants across all genres offering three categories geared towards career development, as well as a public choice award.
Melbourne Prize Trust Executive Director, Mr Simon Warrender said, “the Melbourne Prize for Music 2022 & Awards comes at a time when support for the creative sector is needed.”
“We have such a vibrant music sector in Victoria and with the support of our generous partners and patrons, we are delighted to be able to offer this year’s program,” Mr Warrender said.
“The annual Melbourne Prize supports our writers, sculptors and musicians to celebrate and encourage creativity and to enrich public life – this year our focus is music, which touches us all,” Mr Warrender added.
The Melbourne Prize for Music 2022 & Awards include the following categories:
$60,000 MELBOURNE PRIZE FOR MUSIC 2022 will be awarded to an outstanding Victorian musician or group, including performers and composers, whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to Australian music and to cultural life. All music genres are eligible for this Prize. Supported by Principal Patron, The Vera Moore Foundation and The Tallis Foundation. Finalists in the Melbourne Prize 2022 will receive $1,000 each, supported by Federation Square.
$20,000 BELEURA EMERGING COMPOSERS AWARD 2022 will be awarded to an emerging Victorian composer to develop their career. All genres of composer are eligible for this Award. Supported by The Tallis Foundation, in memory of John Tallis (1911-1996).
$10,000 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD 2022 (+ $1,000 Qantas voucher) will be awarded to a Victorian musician or group, including performers and composers, to fund project/s, travel or other proposals to assist with their music career. Supported by Dr Alastair Jackson AM.
$2,000 CIVIC CHOICE AWARD 2022 will be awarded to a finalist in the Melbourne Prize for Music 2022 with the highest number of public votes. Voting opens on 7 September 2022 and closes at 5pm on 9 November 2022.
The 2022 judges include three esteemed music sector professionals – Professor Deborah Cheetham AO, soprano and composer, Helen Marcou AM, co-founder of Bakehouse Studios and SLAM and Benjamin Northey, conductor.
KEY DATES:
Entries open: Monday 23 May 2022
Entries close: Monday 11 July 2022, 5pm sharp
Finalists announced: Wednesday 7 September 2022 at melbourneprize.org
Winners announced: Wednesday 9 November 2022 at melbourneprize.org
Winner of the Civic Choice Award 2022 announced: Friday 11 November 2022
For information and to enter or nominate visit www.melbourneprize.org.
Entries can be made by the individual musician or group or by nomination.
Past recipients – Melbourne Prize for Music & Awards
Melbourne Prize for Music
2019 Deborah Cheetham AO
2016 Kutcha Edwards
2013 Brett Dean
2010 David Jones
2007 Professor Paul Grabowsky AO
Outstanding Musicians Award
2016 Scott Tinkler
2013 Stephen Magnusson
2010 Ben Northey
2007 Genevieve Lacey
Development Award
2019 Mojo Juju
2016 Matthias Schack-Arnott
2013 Kate Kelsey-Sugg
2010 Natalie Bartsch
2007 Julian Langdon
Beleura Emerging Composers Award
2019 Andrea Keller
2016 Kate Neal
Distinguished Musicians Fellowship
2019 – Erkki Veltheim