MIDEM Classical Awards Announce Nominations For 2006 Event

CANNES, France (MIDEM - Classical Awards) - The second edition of the MIDEM Classical Awards will take place during MIDEM's 40th anniversary event. The Awards will once again spotlight the best talent and productions of the past year to the hundreds of classical music professionals and leading specialised media that attend the event. The Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, 24 January 2006, at 7:00 p.m. in the Debussy Theatre, Palais des Festivals (Cannes).

The MIDEM Classical Awards are the only international awards dedicated exclusively to honouring classical music in all its forms. A total of 567 productions have already been submitted for entry in the 2006 edition of the trophies, from 118 labels and from 21 different countries.

A prestigious international jury, made up of key specialised media and affiliated organisations, will come together to acknowledge the recordings and artists to have made their mark in 2005. The jury includes - Radio Classique and Le Monde de la Musique (France), Gramophone (United Kingdom, United States), Fono Forum, Radio MDR-Figaro/ARD and Klassik.com (Germany), Crescendo and Radio Klara (Belgium), Pizzicato (Luxembourg), Musik & Theater (Switzerland), MusicManual and Musicchannel.cc (Austria), Musica (Italy), Scherzo (Spain), Gramofon (Hungary), Muzyka21 (Poland), International Artist Managers Association (IAMA) and Arts Magazine (United Kingdom) and the International Music & Media Centre (IMZ) (Austria).

The Awards cover 20 different categories including "Recording of the Year", "Label of the Year", a prize for "Lifetime Achievement", "Artist of the Year", as well as "Revelation of the Year in association with IAMA". Three additional prizes will be awarded for Classical DVD productions.

The Awards Ceremony will be highlighted by the live performance of The Salzburg Chamber Soloists, directed by Lavard Skou Larsen, and Ms. Genie Godula and Mr. James Jolly will present the proceedings.