The Ivors Academy has announced it is bringing together 71 years of celebrating compositional excellence into a new, dedicated ceremony. Since 1956, The Ivors Academy has honoured outstanding composers across a range of genres and disciplines through its award ceremonies.
By announcing The Ivors Composer Awards, the Academy strengthens that legacy by creating an elevated and unified moment to celebrate composers and their craft across all genres and disciplines.
Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “Creating a new Ivor Novello Awards ceremony dedicated to composers is the culmination of 71 years of championing compositional excellence. Since 1956, we have honoured the most remarkable composers, and we are building on that legacy with a new, elevated moment to honour their craft.
We are broadening recognition to reflect the full breadth of contemporary composition. More original music will be eligible, including works heard by audiences for the first time across a wide range of forms and contexts, from stage to screen, games, streaming, radio, festivals, in communities and beyond.
This is about giving composers the recognition they richly deserve by creating a new annual celebration of composition and its impact.”
The Ivors Composer Awards will include nominated award categories, and awards in the gift of The Ivors Academy to recognise sustained contributions to music.
Nominated categories will celebrate music composed by British, Irish or UK resident composers that was heard by UK audiences for the first time during various eligibility periods. Categories include Small-Scale, Large-Scale, Vocal and Choral and Community and Participation Composition, alongside original music for Documentaries, Television, Film and Video Games as well as Performance such as dance, theatre and opera. Composers working across genres will be able to submit eligible works from 1 June for the 2026 Awards.
The Ivors Composer Awards 2026 will take place at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, London, on 17 November, welcoming composers, the film, TV, games and music industries, along with cultural organisations. The ceremony will be part of The Ivors Composer Week, taking place 16 – 20 November, including a full-day Composer Summit to broaden the celebration and empowerment of composers further.
Winners will receive an iconic Ivor Novello Award statuette and join a roll call of the most talented composers including George Benjamin, Judith Weir, James MacMillan, Errollyn Wallen, Stephen Sondheim, Anne Dudley, John Barry, Debbie Wiseman, Julian Joseph, John Dankworth, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Anoushka Shankar, Brian Eno, Gavin Bryars and many more.
