A record-breaking 35 entries were received this year for the SOUNZ Contemporary Award.

The SOUNZ Contemporary Award is a project of both the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Centre for New Zealand Music (SOUNZ). The award invites composers who are APRA members to submit two works which have been premiered in the previous year. SOUNZ convenes a panel of experts to assess the entries on artistic criteria including compositional excellence and inspiration.

The three finalist works selected for the 2009 Award are:

My Name is Mok Bhon by Jack Body
Symphony III by Ross Harris
Volti by Michael Norris