Ivors Classical Music Award: Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
One of the giants of contemporary music, Max, as he is universally known, was part of an influential group of composers who were contemporaries at the Royal Manchester College of Music in the fifties. In the true spirit of the avant-garde, he has retained the ability to shock, in works like Eight Songs for a Mad King, while also composing intensely moving pieces such as Farewell to Stromness. He moved to Orkney in 1971, where he later founded the St Magnus Festival. He is passionate and outspoken on issues including the environment and music education.
One of the giants of contemporary music, Max, as he is universally known, was part of an influential group of composers who were contemporaries at the Royal Manchester College of Music in the fifties. In the true spirit of the avant-garde, he has retained the ability to shock, in works like Eight Songs for a Mad King, while also composing intensely moving pieces such as Farewell to Stromness. He moved to Orkney in 1971, where he later founded the St Magnus Festival. He is passionate and outspoken on issues including the environment and music education.
Best Song Musically and Lyrically: The Fear/Lily Allen (Lily Allen/Greg Kurstin)
The Fear is about Lily’s ambivalence towards consumerism and the celebrity culture. She said the inspiration for the song came after seeing a young girl of eight or nine walking down the street with her mum dressed in hot pants and a crop top. She thought the little girl might be the type who would be auditioning for Pop Idol in a few years time, regarding “being famous” as her great ambition. The experience left her feeling very uncomfortable. Legendary lyricist Don Black presented Lily and Greg with their Ivors and paid tribute to her powerful and perceptive words.
The Fear is about Lily’s ambivalence towards consumerism and the celebrity culture. She said the inspiration for the song came after seeing a young girl of eight or nine walking down the street with her mum dressed in hot pants and a crop top. She thought the little girl might be the type who would be auditioning for Pop Idol in a few years time, regarding “being famous” as her great ambition. The experience left her feeling very uncomfortable. Legendary lyricist Don Black presented Lily and Greg with their Ivors and paid tribute to her powerful and perceptive words.
Album Award: Sunny Side Up/Paulo Nutini (Paulo Nutini)
Fourth generation Scottish, Paulo Giovanni Nutini owes his distinctly un-Celtic name to a Tuscan lineage on his father’s side. Sunny Side Up is Paolo’s second album, which went straight to number one when it was released in May 2009. It made it back for a second spell at the top of the charts at the beginning of 2010. It was described by the Daily Telegraph’s Neil McCormick as 'a blend of soul, country, folk and the brash, horny energy of ragtime swing'. Singles from the multi platinum selling album include Candy, 10/10 and the exuberant Pencil Full of Lead.
Fourth generation Scottish, Paulo Giovanni Nutini owes his distinctly un-Celtic name to a Tuscan lineage on his father’s side. Sunny Side Up is Paolo’s second album, which went straight to number one when it was released in May 2009. It made it back for a second spell at the top of the charts at the beginning of 2010. It was described by the Daily Telegraph’s Neil McCormick as 'a blend of soul, country, folk and the brash, horny energy of ragtime swing'. Singles from the multi platinum selling album include Candy, 10/10 and the exuberant Pencil Full of Lead.
International Achievement: Imogen Heap
Imogen is a true “digital native” and as much as any artist in the world today, has used the new communication technologies to build a global following of enviable proportions. Writer, singer, musician and producer, she even designed the artwork for the album Speak for Yourself and won a Grammy for engineering her latest album, Ellipse. Her music has proved popular with television and film producers, with her songs appearing in The Chronicles of Narnia, Garden State, The Holiday, Heroes and the hit teen drama The O.C.
Best Original Film Score: Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (John Powell)
Despite being still in his mid forties, John is about to notch up a half century of film scores. He now has three Ivors, with his award for Ice Age 3 joining others for Ice Age 2: The Meltdown and Shrek. John has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 1997 and has shown himself to be one of the world’s most versatile movie composers. As well as big orchestral scores for animations such as Ice Age and Horton Hears a Who!, he has also composed for thrillers such as the Bourne trilogy, romantic comedies including Two Weeks Notice and dramas like United 93.
Read more about the Ivors winners.
Imogen is a true “digital native” and as much as any artist in the world today, has used the new communication technologies to build a global following of enviable proportions. Writer, singer, musician and producer, she even designed the artwork for the album Speak for Yourself and won a Grammy for engineering her latest album, Ellipse. Her music has proved popular with television and film producers, with her songs appearing in The Chronicles of Narnia, Garden State, The Holiday, Heroes and the hit teen drama The O.C.
Best Original Film Score: Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (John Powell)
Despite being still in his mid forties, John is about to notch up a half century of film scores. He now has three Ivors, with his award for Ice Age 3 joining others for Ice Age 2: The Meltdown and Shrek. John has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 1997 and has shown himself to be one of the world’s most versatile movie composers. As well as big orchestral scores for animations such as Ice Age and Horton Hears a Who!, he has also composed for thrillers such as the Bourne trilogy, romantic comedies including Two Weeks Notice and dramas like United 93.
Read more about the Ivors winners.
