The Music & Opera Singers Trust saves the prestigious competition in an alliance that’s great news for classical music.

The ABC Young Performers Awards will return in 2017 under the management of the philanthropic organisation Music & Opera Singers Trust (MOST). The new deal to rescue the prestigious competition has been announced by the ABC.

Audiences, past-winners and industry professionals alike were devastated to hear the news in 2015 that the ABC Young Performers Awards would not be continuing in 2017 after Symphony Australia – the organisation that had managed the awards since 1997 – explained that, due to a major restructure of activities, the award would “not be continuing into the future.”

MOST approached Symphony Services and the ABC in March this year, according to the ABC, with a proposal to support the continuation of the awards. “We are thrilled to be presenting this prestigious competition for young talented musicians,” said MOST CEO Roland Gridiger. “The partnership with the ABC will ensure the continuing promotion and development of the next generation of Australia’s best musical talent.”

The ABC Young Performers Awards, which first began in 1944, have launched the careers of many prominent Australian artists including pianist Tamara-Anna Cislowska, cellist Liwei Qin, pianist Simon Tedeschi and percussionist Claire Edwardes, who recently won the Award for Excellence by an Individual at the Australian Art Music Awards.

In the rebooted Young Performers Awards, Australia’s symphony orchestras will continue to support the awards through prizes and performance opportunities. In 2017 and 2018, the Sydney Opera House will be the Venue Partner and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra the Presenting Partner. MOST, who will take over the management and staging of the awards, also currently supports the IFAC Australian Singing Competition.

“Australia’s symphony orchestras have had a long and proud history of involvement in the competition and feel it is fitting that the Music and Opera Singers Trust take over the management of these Awards because they already manage a prestigious set of competitions for musicians and opera singers,” said Lidbetter. “Just like Symphony Australia, MOST’s raison d’être is to promote excellence in the arts and music and to manage programs that recognise and develop creative potential.”

The awards, as in past competitions, will be broadcast on ABC Classic FM. “We know MOST will do a great job in ensuring that the ABC Young Performers Awards continue to flourish and grow as well as playing a vital role in supporting the career development of the Finalists,” said ABC Classic FM Manager, Richard Buckham.