This year, 51 works by 32 composers were submitted for the award. The jury selected 8 nominees whose works stood out for their high artistic quality, freshness, and impact.
Here are the nominees for the award:
Elis Hallik – Symphony Phos
Elo Masing – The Dance Above The Abyss
Helena Tulve – Wand’ring Bark / Laev ulguveel
Krõõt-Kärt Kaev – Frazzled by Caffeine
Liina Sumera – Kimäär
Liisa Hõbepappel – Ja nüüd on ikka veel nüüd / And Now It Is Still Now
Marianna Liik – Maaalune
Rasmus Puur – Symphony
This year’s jury includes Märt-Matis Lill (Chair of the Estonian Composers’ Union and the jury), Kärt Ruubel (performer), Saale Kareda (EMIK), Taavi Kull (conductor), and last year’s award winner, composer Madli Marje Gildemann.
In addition to Gildemann, previous recipients of the award include Liisa Hirsch, Toivo Tulev, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Helena Tulve, Märt-Matis Lill, Rasmus Puur, Jüri Reinvere, and Ülo Krigul.
The nominees will be presented by Johanna Mängel on Klassikaraadio’s program Nyyd-muusika on April 8, 15, and 22.
The winner of the “LHV New Music Award 2025” will be announced at the Estonian Music Days ENSO concert on April 25 at 19:00 in the Estonia Concert Hall.
The collaboration between the Estonian Composers’ Union and award sponsor LHV began in 2016. LHV also supports the “Young Composer 2025” competition, the final concert of which will take place on May 1 at 15:30 in the Tubin Hall of the Heino Eller Music School in Tartu.
The Estonian Music Days Festival begins on April 25 and runs until May 4 in Tallinn and Tartu. The festival program can be found at eestimuusikapaevad.ee.