The full list of nominations for The Ivors Classical Awards 2025 has been announced.
The annual ceremony, which celebrates the best of contemporary classical music and is supported by PRS for Music, will take place at BFI Southbank in London on 11 November.
34 composers and librettists have been nominated for an Ivor Novello Award at this year’s ceremony. Nine awards are set to be presented to the six category winners on the night alongside three Gift of the Academy award recipients.
The 2025 shortlist features seven composers nominated for the first time - Ruby Colley, Nneka Cummins, Jon Guy, Luke Mombrea, Lucie Treacher, Anibal Vidal and Nathan Williamson - as well as composers who have previously been nominated or won an Ivor Novello Award or British Composer Award. Previous winners nominated again this year include Julian Anderson, Helen Grime, Gareth Moorcraft and Judith Weir, in addition to two-time winner Robin Haigh and 2024 Academy Fellowship recipient James MacMillan who have both been nominated twice.
This year, the Academy is also crediting librettists with a nomination where they have written new words for a work, as opposed to setting an existing text or poem. Seven librettists are nominated – Grahame Davies, April De Angelis, Helen Eastman, Zoe Gilbert, Paul Griffiths, Megg Nicol and Rachel Warr.
You can see the full list of nominees for The Ivors Classical Awards 2025 below.
Best Chamber Ensemble Composition
- arcing, stilling, bending, gathering composed by Lisa Illean for piano, string ensemble of 12 players and pre-recorded sounds
- Chanter composed by Cassandra Miller for guitar and string orchestra
- FILTH composed by Robin Haigh for large ensemble
- Invocación n.2: A Kintsugi Resurrection composed by Anibal Vidal for trumpet and ensemble
- Mantle composed by John Casken for piano and wind quintet
Best Choral Composition
- Hear My Heart Sing composed by Bernard Hughes for SATB choir with divisi with word by Helen Eastman
- Hello Halo composed by Ruby Colley for six voices, violin and fixed media
- Nothing At All composed by Julian Anderson a dramatic madrigal for eight unaccompanied voices with word by Paul Griffiths
- Orbits composed by Anna Clyne for chorus and solo violin
Best Community and Participation Composition in association with ABRSM
- Gresford Up From Underground / Gresffordd I’r Goleuni ‘Nawr composed by Jon Guy a Community Opera in one act with libretto by Grahame Davies
- Rocks and Stars composed by Lucie Treacher for Children's Symphony Orchestra, Massed Choir, Acoustic Guitar Ensemble, Steel Band, Organ, Rock Band and Djembe Percussion group
- The Quest composed by Nathan Williamson soloists and chorus aged 8-18, and professional instrumental ensemble with libretto by Megg Nicol
- Uprising composed by Jonathan Dove a Community Opera with libretto by April De Angelis
- Vent composed by Benjamin Oliver for choir and electronics with libretto by Rachel Warr
Best Large Ensemble Composition
- Finding gills [when they try to drown you] composed by Nneka Cummins for chamber orchestra and electronics
- Heat Ray: The Archimedes Project composed by Will Gregory for chamber orchestra and moog ensemble
- LUCK composed by Robin Haigh concerto for trumpet and orchestra
- Planet composed by Judith Weir for chamber orchestra
- Schiller’s Piano composed by Laurence Osborn concerto for keyboards and string orchestra
Best Orchestral Composition in association with Dorico
- Concerto for Orchestra composed by James MacMillan for orchestra
- DISTANS composed by Sally Beamish concerto for clarinet, violin and orchestra
- Folk composed by Helen Grime for soprano and orchestra with libretto by Zoe Gilbert
- King Torques Hollow Acetate composed by Jasper Dommett for orchestra
- Timotheus, Bacchus and Cecilia composed by James MacMillan for mixed chorus, children's chorus and orchestra
Best Small Chamber Composition
- Black Gold composed by Luke Mombrea for chamber ensemble and electronics
- Darkness Moves II composed by Mark Simpson for horn and electronics
- If I Could Tell You composed by Richard Causton for piano trio
- Three Tributes composed by Bushra El-Turk for string quartet
- Unrealities composed by Gareth Moorcraft for solo piano and synthesiser
In a statement, Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: ‘Congratulations to all our nominees, who reflect the outstanding creativity shaping contemporary composition. Their works explore powerful themes of technology, nature, history, our relationships and identity.
‘An Ivor Novello Award is one of the highest honours in music, made unique by recognition from fellow composers.’
Andrea Czapary Martin, CEO of PRS for Music, added: ‘As The Ivors Classical Awards celebrates over two decades of impact, our commitment to supporting this celebration of musical excellence remains unwavering, especially this year, as PRS Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary. Over the years, opportunities like the Composers Fund and New Music Biennial have supported countless composers reach new heights in their careers – including many of tonight’s nominees.
‘Huge congratulations to the 28 PRS members on their nominations and the seven composers receiving their first-ever nomination. We look forward to celebrating with you next month.’
The Ivors Classical Awards celebrates music made by British, Irish or UK resident composers. The six categories are judged anonymously, with all identifying information removed from all entered materials seen by the judges. A jury of 30 composer judges from The Ivors Academy considered over 220 works entered for this year’s awards, resulting in 29 nominated works in the shortlist.
BBC Radio 3 presenters Kate Molleson and Tom McKinney will present the 2025 ceremony, while BBC Radio 3 will broadcast the ceremony on 15 November in a special edition of the New Music Show. The episode will also be available on BBC Sounds.
