Friends of Canadian Music Award

The Canadian League of Composers is committed to celebrating and promoting Canadian composers by administering annual activities such as the Friends of Canadian Music Award, special composition awards, and the Canadian Section of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM). In addition, we participate in and show support for nominations of our composers for awards such as the Order of Canada and Provincial Orders. We encourage and support nominations of Canadian composers, as recognition of compositional excellence fosters an environment where Canadian art music is highly valued. The Canadian League of Composers also periodically hosts competitions that issue prizes to composers.

Every year, the Friends of Canadian Music Award honours those who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment, on a national scale, to Canadian composers and their music. The Canadian Music Centre (CMC) and the Canadian League of Composers (CLC) jointly administer and present this award. The Friends of Canadian Music Award is in the amount of $4000. This award will be divided as follows: $2000 for the recipient and $2000 for a composer of the recipient’s choice. This split is to help support an early-career composer, regardless of age, and to help build bridges between established and underrepresented or isolated communities.

The Canadian League of Composers, in collaboration with the Canadian Music Centre, is thrilled to announce Marion Newman and Continuum Contemporary Music as co-winners of the 2022 Friends of Canadian Music Award. For their emerging artists, they have selected Jessica McMann and Amy Brandon, respectively. Both the winners and the emerging artists will receive a cash prize of $1000.