Presented at the Queens Theatre Adelaide on Thursday night (1 August), the 2024 AIR Awards celebrated Australia’s independent music sector and featured performances from nominees Maple Glider, Jack River, Bumpy, Slava Grigoryan and RVG.

Richard Tognetti, Australian Chamber Orchestra. Photo © Nic Walker

The AIR Award for Best Independent Classical Album or EP went to the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Richard Tognetti for its ABC Classics release Beethoven Symphonies 1, 2 and 3 (read the Limelight review here).

Recorded at City Recital Hall in 2020, the album is the first Australian recording of these symphonies on historically accurate instruments. String players from the Australian National Academy of Music also perform on the track, among them Harry Ward, James Morley and Ruby Shirres.

The category included releases by Slava Grigoryan (Gratitudes), Karen Jacobsen (Misogyny Opus), Neil Gaiman and Fourplay String Quartet (Signs of Life) and Russell Morris for The Real Thing Symphonic Concert.

Elixir. Photo © Russ Beening

Best Independent Jazz Album or EP went to Elixir (vocalist Katie Noonan, saxophonist Zac Hurren and guitarist Benjamin Hauptmann) for A Small...