The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors Awards are set to take place later this year, at the magnificent hall of The Stationers’ Company, close to St Paul’s Cathedral, and will be sponsored once again by PRS for Music.

Premier awards

The Awards which were established in 2003 are recognised as the premier composer event of the year when the best new work of the preceding 12 months is rigorously judged by leading professionals and nominated for an award in 13 categories.

The breadth of originality and the creative energy captured in the nominations for the British Composer Awards never ceases to surprise meSarah Rodgers

Past winners

Past winners of British Composer Awards have included establishment figures Adès, Birtwistle, Maxwell Davies, MacMillan and Tavener as well as up and coming composers, Luke Bedford, Helen Grime, Gabriel Jackson and Patrick Nunn.

Energy

Sarah Rodgers told 4BR: "The breadth of originality and the creative energy captured in the nominations for the British Composer Awards never ceases to surprise me."

Nominations open at the end of May and are invited for works (including those for brass band) that have received their UK première between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.

Works may be submitted from any source, with the exception that composers may not nominate their own music.

Closing dates

The closing dates for nominations are:

All categories except International and Making Music: Friday 16 July
International Award and Student Composition Prize: Friday 23 July
Making Music Award: Friday 24 September

For further information, go to: www.britishcomposerawards.com