Innovation Award Recipients 2018
These are the recipients of the Classical:NEXT 2018 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 recipients were announced on site at the closing ceremony of Classical:NEXT in Rotterdam on 19 May 2018.
The nominees were named and voted for by the 23 expert members of the nominating committee from the 28-strong longlist. Longlist, shortlist, public vote - read here how our Innovation Award works.
Aurora Orchestra (UK)
A chamber orchestra for the 21st century that combines world-class performance with adventurous programming and trailblazing concert experiences. Through its pioneering ‘Orchestral Theatre’ series, memorised performances, and cross-art form collaborations, Aurora challenges expectations of what an orchestra can and should be.
Carbon-free Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Finland)
Carbon-free Lahti Symphony Orchestra – a contribution to the efforts to reduce the pace of global climate change by gradually making the orchestra’s activities carbon-neutral. The orchestra’s carbon footprint was calculated and an action plan was created. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra is taking the lead as an environmentally responsible artistic organisation by adopting carbon neutrality as one of its operational objectives. The orchestra’s general manager Teemu Kirjonen, sees the orchestra’s climate project as a natural part of the City of Lahti’s environmental strategy, according to which the city is committed to halving per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, compared to 1990 levels. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra’s musicians and administrative staff have been involved in making the decision to launch the project, and in associated brainstorming activities.
Les Talens Lyriques’ t@lenschool (France)
t@lenschool is three free-of-charge musical practice and listening apps for composing, conducting and playing the harpsichord. A ‘leap motion’ movement sensing camera is used to promote an entertaining and lively approach to teaching. Each pupil takes part in an artistic experience, becoming a contributor to the production of music. This novel project is under way in Balzac junior high school (17th Arrondissement of Paris), with a hundred or so pupils and is aimed at children and adults with no musical training , and realised together with the musical ensemble Les Talens Lyriques, which was founded twenty-five years ago by the harpsichordist and orchestral conductor Christophe Rousset. The ensemble promotes a wide lyrical and instrumental repertoire ranging from early baroque to the dawn of romanticism, performing rare or unpublished works that are genuine missing links in the European musical heritage. Their musicological and editorial work is a priority for the ensemble.