When Sydney Symphony Orchestra Chief Conductor Simone Young set about compiling the six categories for next month’s People’s Choice Concerts, the music world waited with bated breath to see which local artists would be included. Young delivered a category dedicated to Australian composers, filled with works by Brett Dean, Peggy Glanville-Hicks, Stuart Greenbaum, Holly Harrison, Matthew Hindson, Elena Kats-Chernin, Graeme Koehne, Ella Macens, Peter Sculthorpe and Carl Vine.

Composer, arranger and educator Ella Macens has been nominated for The Space Between Stars, which she composed for a workshop opportunity with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in conjunction with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s inaugural National Women Composers’ Development Program. Elena Kats-Chernin has the honour of being represented twice, with her Dance of the Paper Umbrellas included in the Australian Composers category, and her earlier Wild Swans: Eliza Aria listed in the ABC’s Classic 100 category.

Simone Young. Photo © Sandra Steh

Following Young’s announcement of her handpicked categories, Kats-Chernin and Macens spoke with Limelight about being nominated.

“It was something I was not expecting, and I am very delighted. Thank you, Simone Young!” says Kats-Chernin. Her sentiments are echoed by Macens, who says...