Ivors Academy winning composer Richard Blackford releases a new track for Christmas
TV and film composer Richard Blackford's Pieta won the Choral Category in the prestigious awards earlier this week
TV and film composer Richard Blackford secured the Choral Award at the Ivors Academy Composer Awards earlier this week, for his work Pietà.
And he's marked the moment (and the season) with the release of a touching new Christmas track - Christmas Dawn.
What was the music that Richard Blackford won the Ivors Academy award for?
Richard Blackfords’ Pietà, a haunting reimagining of the Stabat Mater commissioned by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, was awarded the 2020 Ivor Novello Award in the Choral Category on Tuesday 1 December.
‘I’m thrilled and honoured to be awarded The Ivors Academy Ivor Novello Award," said Richard earlier in the week. My warmest thanks to the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and St. Albans Choral Society for co-commissioning the work, for the wonderful performers who gave the premiere and made the recording, and to the team at Nimbus, my publisher and record company for all their encouragement and support. It was a life-affirming project, and this award is the culmination of an extraordinary team effort."
“I chose the title Pietà after re-visiting Michelangelo’s eponymous statue in St Peter’s, Rome. How could something so sad, so poignant in its expression of a mother’s grief for her son, be at the same time so beautiful, so inspiring of hope? I concentrated on the lyrical, tender moments in the poem that are like oases in the scorching desert of grief. I thought not only about bereaved mothers, but the children of those mothers. In all three of my large-scale choral works I incorporated parts for children’s choruses, and in Pietà the voices of innocents, often the victims of warfare and strife, deserved a place.”
What are the Ivors Composer Awards?
The Ivors Composer Awards celebrates the best new works by UK composers writing for classical, jazz and sound art. Recognised as a pinnacle of achievement since they were first presented in 1956, an Ivor Novello Award represents peer recognition with categories judged by those within the UK music creator community.
Who were the winners in the Ivors Composer Awards 2020?
Discover the other award winners on the Ivors Composer Awards website.
Listen to Richard Blackford's new track Christmas Dawn
Christmas Dawn is played by Simon Callaghan at the piano, accompanied by his faithful hound Jason.
“In November 2020 I was asked by Em Marshall-Luck, Founder-Director of the English Music Festival to write a piece for her Christmas Garland concert at short notice, " explained Richard. "Em’s belief in the vital importance of offering live music-making during the COVID pandemic was stronger than ever. I decided to write a short, atmospheric piano piece Christmas Dawn, in support of her, the pianist Duncan Honeybourne, the festival and those who were willing to travel to Horsham to hear the music played live.
"I sent the score to my publisher and they suggested that the pianist Simon Callaghan record Christmas Dawn with an accompanying video, as a celebratory lockdown project at Wyastone Recording Studio that might cheer people up, given the uncertainties of Christmas this year. I hope the music and the video will give pleasure at a time when Christmas cheer is much needed.”