2026 Bagri Music Award Announcement
Ayman Hlal
Ayman Hlal is a leading Syrian violinist, composer, and educator, based in Berlin. He specialises in both Western and Middle Eastern classical music forms. A rising star in his homeland, war in Syria resulted in Ayman seeking refuge in Berlin. Trained in both Western and Middle Easten classical music, in Germany he started several projects, […]
Shona Brown
Shona Brown is a Glasgow-based flautist and music producer whose work explores atmospheric and emotionally resonant sound worlds for flute, voice and electronics. Her solo practice blends contemporary classical, ambient and electronic music with subtle folk influences, creating spacious compositions shaped by breath, texture and stillness. She has released solo work and performed nationally, including […]
Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh
Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh is a viola player and composer exploring the tones of gut strings and wood in both amplified and acoustic contexts. Influenced by improvised, experimental and early music styles, she has released three solo recordings focused on exploring the instrument – Oreing (Fort Evil Fruit 2017), The Rounds (KRUT 2021) and Live At […]
Aurora Engine
Aurora Engine (Deborah Shaw) is a composer, harpist, and pianist based in Edinburgh, crafting immersive sound worlds that blend electronics, live instruments, and found sounds. Inspired by the natural world, birdsong, tides, and human voices, she tells stories through sound shaping textures that explore tension and unpredictability. Her debut album, Secret Knock (2024) brought sound […]
Alex Smoke
Alex Smoke is a musician and composer working across various fields of sound, including electronic production, sound installation, and instrumental composition. A Cryptic Artist, his work focuses on creating immersive experiences that engage the listener’s consciousness, blending traditional concepts with contemporary techniques. Initially trained in classical cello, drums and singing, then progressing to electronic production, […]
Faraj Suleiman
Faraj Suleiman is a Palestinian composer and pianist based in Paris. His music is strongly influenced by Arabic/Eastern melodies and rhythms. He often incorporates those scales and modalities in his compositions. In addition to being inspired by his Arabic culture, he is also influenced by Jazz traditions. As an Arab musician/pianist trained in classical music, […]
Open Residency
Emily Doolittle
Canadian-born, Glasgow-based composer, researcher, and occasional oboist Emily Doolittle’s music has been described as “masterful” (Musical Toronto), “eloquent and effective,” and “the piece that grabbed me by the heart” (The WholeNote). She has an ongoing interest in zoomusicology—the relationship between animal songs and music—which she explores in both her composition and through interdisciplinary collaboration with […]
Bernardo Cubría & Michael John McCarthy
Bernardo Cubría is a Mexican writer. For film, he penned the feature screenplay ‘Copa’ that Eva Longoria is set to direct for SONY and Guerrero which Gina Rodriguez is attached to direct and star in with One Community. He is also currently writing the Untitled Juan Gabriel Biopic that Gaz Alazraki is set to direct […]
Nick Powell
Nick Powell, composer, London musician and ex-member of Strangelove (EMI) has written scores for films, artworks and theatre throughout the world as well as releasing music under his own name and as OSKAR. Nick recently worked with Sam Mendes scoring The Lehman Trilogy (West End, Broadway and World Tour), The Ferryman (West End & Broadway) […]
James Ross
James Ross is a pianist and composer who pushes the boundaries of Scottish traditional music. James released his debut album on the Greentrax label, a mix of his piano arrangements of traditional and original material. Chasing the Sun, Ross’s second recording, is a seven-movement suite, evoking a day’s and a year’s westward journey along Scotland’s north […]