The 2020 Art Music Awards have been announced with an impressive line-up of winners hailing from every corner of Australia. In line with the current state of play for arts organisations across the nation, this year’s Awards went online in response to the coronavirus pandemic which has caused unparalleled devastation in the arts over the last six months. Presented annually by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre, the event was co-hosted by Jonathan Biggins, Dr Lou Bennett AM and Zela Margossian and included online performances by Robin Fox and Erkki Veltheim, Louise Devenish, Linda May Han Oh, Melanie Mununggurr-Williams and Beatrice Lewis.

At the heart of the Awards are the New Works of the Year in newly reorganised categories reflecting the changing landscape and priorities of Australian art music.

Robin Fox and Erkki Veltheim’s Diaspora. Photo courtesy of the Art Music Awards

In the first of several wins for Western Australian musicians and their work, James Ledger’s Viola Concerto won the Award for Work of the Year: Large Ensemble....