APRA AMCOS and NATSIMO have announced the winners of the 2024 Professional Development Awards at a ceremony in APRA’s home in Ultimo, Sydney.

Each winner receives a $10,000 cash prize to be put towards the development of their careers as composers and/or songwriters.

Vanessa Perica, Michael Allen, Mel O’Brien (Mel & Sam), Sara Berki, Warren Mason, Elsy Wameyo, Hannah Cameron, Sam Andrew (Mel & Sam), Amelia Thompson (THOM), Kaninna Langford (Miss Kaninna). Photo © Adam Davis-Powell

The winner of the Classical/Experimental Award is the Naarm-based composer and sound artist Rebecca Bracewell. An artist inspired by the politics of listening, her 2021 debut EP, Raveling Wails, was built out of feedback created by hearing aids. Her Spirals won the 2023 Work of the Year in Electroacoustic/Sound Art at the Art Music Awards, and was described as “breathtaking” by Limelight in 2022.

In her pre-recorded acceptance speech, Bracewell said, “It means so much to be shown this kind of support at this point in my career.”

The Jazz Award was won by Melbourne composer and conductor Vanessa Perica. Perica has been commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for the Art Music Award-nominated Love is a...