History

The composer Colin Matthews founded NMC in 1989 to remedy the almost non-existent representation of living British composers in the recording catalogues of major labels at the time. NMC’s invaluable work celebrating and supporting the rich breadth of compositional talent from across Britain and Ireland means that our constantly-evolving catalogue has grown to now hold over 300 albums, and is a diverse living archive of ground-breaking classical music spanning multiple generations of composers.

NMC's Awards

Royal Philharmonic Society Award

  • NMC Recordings was the first organisation to be the recipient of the RPS Leslie Boosey Award in 2015-17 for its "outstanding contribution to the furthering of contemporary music in Britain". 

Prince Pierre of Monaco Foundation Award

Gramophone Magazine Award

  • NMC D015    Robin Holloway: Second Concerto for Orchestra Gramophone Award 1994
  • NMC D050    Harrison Birtwistle: The Mask of Orpheus Gramophone Award 1998
  • NMC D141    Jonathan Harvey: Body Mandala Gramophone Award 2008
  • NMC D150    The NMC Songbook Gramophone Award 2009
  • NMC D156    Harrison Birtwistle: Night's Black Bird Gramophone Award 2011
  • Colin Matthews received the Special Achievement Gramophone Award for his unique contribution to British contemporary music as founder and executive producer of NMC Recordings 2017

BBC Music Magazine Award

  • NMC D156 Harrison Birtwistle: Night's Black Bird BBC Music Magazine Award 2012
  • NMC D249 Edmund Finnis: The Air, Turning BBC Music Magazine Award 2020

Reissues, now available on NMC, which won awards on other labels

  • NMC D113 John Casken: Golem Gramophone Award 1991 (Virgin Classics)
  • NMC D138 Harrison Birtwistle: Punch & Judy Gramophone Award 1980 (Decca Headline)
  • NMC D200 Harrison Birtwistle: Gawain Gramophone Award 1996 (Collins Classics)
  • NMC D148 Harrison Birtwistle: Secret Theatre Gramophone Award 1988 (Etcetera)
  • NMC D236 Imogen Holst: String Chamber Music BBC Music Magazine Award 2010 (Court Lane Music) 

Other Awards

  • NMC D053 Edward Elgar / A Payne: Symphony No. 3 Classic CD Award 1998
  • NMC D112 Britten on Film MIDEM Classical Award 2008
  • NMC D121 Julian Anderson: Book of Hours Pizzicato ‘Supersonic Award’ 2007
  • NMC DL2012 New Music 20x12 RPS Award - Concert Series & Festival 2013
  • NMC D190 Britten to America Grammy Nomination 2014 - Best Classical Compendium
  • NMC D197 Gerald Barry: The Importance of Being Earnest Grammy Nomination 2015 - Contemporary Classical

Browse our award-winning albums on our shop here.

You may also like