APRA PDA Finalists Announced - MusicNSW

RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES FOR APRA’S 2011 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Finalist List Published With Winners To Be Announced on Monday March 14th!

Wally De Backer (Gotye), Vassy, Mia Dyson, Michael Yezerski, Abbe May, Amira Pyliotis, Laura Jean Englert, Dianna Corcoran and others have had their early music careers boosted by receiving a PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD.

On March 14th, 2011, a new crop of eight (8) up-and-coming Australian songwriters will get a huge leg-up courtesy of the PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS. The APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS are presented every two years in conjunction with music organisations and institutions involved in the representation or education of Australian music creators.

For the 2011 event, a record number of almost 2500 submissions were received by emerging Australian songwriters and composers who are in the early stages of their career. Now APRA and its partner organizations are proud to present an impressive finalist list of almost 250 Australian songwriters. This list is now available at the APRA website www.apra-amcos.com.au/pda

Over the coming weeks, this list of finalists will be whittled down to just eight (8) songwriters / composers who will each receive a phenomenal prize package valued at over $25,000 – made up of cash, travel, education and recognition

In 2011, awards will be given in the following six (6) categories:

  • Popular Contemporary (3 Awards are given in this category including Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Hip Hop, Dance and R&B)
  • Country
  • Jazz
  • Classical
  • Film and Television
  • Indigenous

Each winner will receive prizes that will substantially support their burgeoning careers as songwriters and composers.

There is $12,000 cash and Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch + Logic Studio courtesy of APRA|AMCOS, a full day of studio time, including engineer, at Studios 301, a distribution deal with MGM/Leading Edge (Popular Contemporary, Country, Film & TV, Indigenous winners only), a digital distribution courtesy of MGM (Popular Contemporary, Country, Film & TV, Indigenous winners only), a digital distribution courtesy ABC Music (Jazz and Classical Award winners only), a PCR300 Controller Keyboard and DR80C Condensor Microphone courtesy of Roland, a unit of study in the Australian Institute of Music’s (AIM) Bachelor of Music Program, attendance at the ASCAP US Film & TV Workshop (for Film & TV winner only) courtesy of ASCAP and Seed Workshop (for 3 x popular contemporary winners only) courtesy of The Seed – an arts grant fund.

Two additional awards are administered as part of the APRA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS program: The Jessica Michalik Contemporary Music Endowment and the UTAS – Stephen Schwartz Songwriting Award. Each of these awards will provide a promising Australian songwriter or group with development grants of $10,000.

The 2011 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS will be held in Sydney on MONDAY MARCH 14th. The 2011 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS are proudly sponsored by SPA (STREET PRESS AUSTRALIA), STUDIOS 301, MGM / LEADING EDGE, ABC MUSIC, ROLAND, AIM (AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MUSIC), THE SEED and ASCAP.

For the complete list of 2011 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS finalists please go to: www.apra-amcos.com.au/pda

The awards will be announced Monday March 14th, 2011.

(picture: APRA PDA Nominee Andy Bull)