The Australia Ensemble @UNSW has won an award for best performance of an Australian composition at the 2008 Classical Music Awards for its rendition of Nigel Westlake's Rare Sugar.

In addition, the Ensemble's pianist Ian Munro won the award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual for his contribution to Australian performance and composition in 2007.

Presented by APRA (the Australasian Performing Right Association) and the Australian Music Centre, the awards celebrate the broad spectrum of classical music.

The Ensemble's Artistic Chair, Emeritus Professor Roger Covell, presented two of the evening's awards in his role as a former award recipient and representative of the Music Performance Unit at UNSW.

Resident at UNSW and founded in 1980, the Australia Ensemble @UNSW is widely recognised as Australia's finest chamber music ensemble. Consisting of seven of Australia's leading instrumentalists, the ensemble has an annual subscription season, as well as free concerts, workshops and tours of Australia and overseas.

The Australia Ensemble @UNSW's next performance, Voices of Apocalypse, will be held on Saturday 16 August for more information phone 02 9385 4874 or email australia.ensemble@unsw.edu.au

Media Contact: Victoria Brown | 9385 3263 | v.brown@unsw.edu.au