Innovation Award Recipients 2021

These are the recipients of the Classical:NEXT 2021 Innovation Award. They were determined by an online vote open to the entire Classical:NEXT community, including all delegates who have registered for any of our editions and who are linked via C:N NET.

The nominees were named and voted for by the 26 expert members of the nominating committee from the 24-strong longlist.
Longlist, shortlist, public vote - read here how our Innovation Award works.

Shortlist   Longlist   Nominating Committee

Carlotta Libonati (viola) at Roman orange garden. Photo by Sabrina Harm

1:1 CONCERTS by Stephanie Winker, Franziska Ritter & Christian Siegmund (Germany)

Nominated by Hartmut Welscher

1:1 CONCERTS feature a 10 minute non-verbal 1-to-1 encounter between a listener and a musician. The concert attendees do not know who is going to play. Whether they hear a jazz saxophone, a double bass or a baroque flute will come as a surprise. Moreover, the concept explores extraordinary concert venues – concerts can take you to an art gallery, a qiuet backyard, an empty factory hall or an allotment garden. Spaces and venues are provided by private hosts.

Reason for nomination: More than ever, people are in need of genuine personal contact and a directly shared musical experience. 1:1 CONCERTS have created an opportunity for an authentic concert experience.

Watch now the exclusive Award interview with the producers of 1:1 Concerts in conversation with Andreas Kern.

Conexão Heliópolis (Heliópolis Connection) by Instituto Baccarelli (Brazil)

Nominated by João Luiz Sampaio

The Baccarelli Institute is a non-profit organisation in Brazil that offers music education for 1,200 kids in Heliópolis, where it has formed the first symphony orchestra in the world in a slum. For the institute, music is a tool for personal development and empowerment of young people, which leads to a more diverse musical world. Heliópolis is one of the poorest neighborhoods of Latin America. During the pandemic, they raised money to help this community, organised a structure to offer online activities and created a series of 150 digital masterclasses for musicians across the entire country.

Reason for nomination: During the pandemic, Heliópolis faced financial difficulties. So Instituto Baccarelli became a centre for the distribution of food. They also implemented a program to keep teaching music for children.

Watch now the exclusive Award interview with the organizers of Conexão Heliópolis in conversation with Andreas Kern.

 

Kultūra į kiemus (Culture to the Yards) (Lithuania)

Nominated by Lina Navickaitė-Martinelli

During the first lockdown (Spring 2020), “Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022” together with the community program “Fluxus Labas” have launched a project called “Culture to the Yards” devoted to bringing back such feelings as the thrill of anticipation of the live concert, the direct connection between the performers and the listeners/spectators around them. These experiences of sharing, as well as delivering culture were brought straight to the yards surrounded by apartment blocks.

Reason for nomination: Valuable as bringing professional art to open spaces and as a chance for culture and entertainment-hungry residents to spend meaningful time and gain positive emotions during the challenging period.

Watch now the exclusive Award interview with the producers of Kultūra į kiemus in conversation with Andreas Kern.

 

these bones, this flesh, this skin by Scottish Ensemble (UK)

Nominated by David Kettle

Scottish Ensemble strives to put collaboration at the heart of its activities and this new project brought together artistic director/violinist Jonathan Morton, composer Martin Suckling, choreographer Joan Clevillé (Scottish Dance Theatre) and cinematographer Genevieve Reeves in a new interactive music/dance/film work for solo violin and solo dancer, exploring themes of time, memory and attention. Through the bespoke online platform, the viewer is invited to combine different audio and visual layers to create their own experience.

Reason for nomination: This is a provocative creative response to the limitations of COVID: it's a work that harnesses the opportunities of digital and can only exist in that medium.

Watch now the exclusive Award interview with the producers of these bones, this flesh, this skin in conversation with Andreas Kern.