Liza Lim and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Composing Women program, a professional development initiative helmed by Lim which fosters women composers, have received a Classical:NEXT 2020 Innovation Award. Recognising “forward-thinking activities taking place around the world”, the award is given by the international classical and art music forum in Rotterdam, which has moved online this year in the wake of COVID-19. One of three, the award was presented in a live-streamed broadcast, available to watch on demand.

Liza Lim, right, with the 2020-21 Composing Women line-up

Lim, who is Professor of Composition and Sculthorpe Chair of Australian Music at the Sydney Conservatorium, spoke to Limelight of the pride she feels about “what’s been achieved in gender equity in music through this program in the last five years at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music thanks to the incredible work, vision and support of so many people.”

“We’ve been part of a world-wide conversation to address systemic inequity for women in music and together with many others, I’m happy that our work has helped shift perceptions around women composers’ achievements both here in Australia and internationally,” she said. “When we change narratives around who...