The 2021 AIR Awards were held last night in Adelaide, with Joseph Tawadros and Katie Noonan the winners of the Classical and Jazz albums of the year for recent releases on ABC.

Joseph Tawadros. Image supplied.

Joseph Tawadros won Best Independent Classical Album for his Live at the Sydney Opera House album, recorded with his brother James and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Northey. Recorded over a series of live concerts in June 2019, the album was released on ABC Classic to rave reviews. Reviewing it for Limelight, Angus McPherson called it “barnstorming” and awarded it 4.5 stars. The album features Tawadros’ own concerto for oud and orchestra alongside a number of his earlier solo pieces newly orchestrated by Jessica Wells.

Katie Noonan took home the Best Independent Jazz Album for her disc The Sweetest Taboo, a collection of songs that inspired her as a child growing up in Brisbane, including songs made famous by Vince Jones, Crowded House, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper and Whitney Houston. Released by ABC Jazz in May 2020, the album spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Australia (ARIA)...