APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre have announced the finalists for the 2026 Art Music Awards.

Celebrating the accomplishments of Australian musicians in contemporary classical, experimental, jazz and improvised music and music education, this year’s ceremony takes place on 19 August at The Timber Yards, Melbourne.

The ceremony will be hosted by journalist and broadcaster Namila Benson with composer Connor D’Netto and pianist Aura Go as guest presenters and music curation from Sia Ahmad.

The winner of the Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music and the State Luminary Awards will be announced in August, prior to the ceremony.

Work of the Year 

In response to a growing number of entries, this year’s Work of the Year stream has seen a small change – the Chamber award has now been split into two separate categories – Solo & Small Ensemble, for works with one to four parts, and Medium Ensemble, for four to 12.

In the Choral category is Adira Arenio and Agnus Dei by Alice Chance with Kaylynn Zaro and Noel Zaro; Adira Arenio is an arrangement of a traditional  language hymn from the Mer Island people of the Torres Strait. Paul Stanhope’s symphonic song cycle Mahāsāgar, Carl Crossin’s 40-part Vivemus...