The Audience Award One of the main awards has now been decided by you the audience. The winner will be announced at the Poll Winners concert in March. A huge thanks to all those who contributed. It was wonderful to see such a wide-ranging list of nominations (left) and the way so many of the musicians have touched your lives.
Here are the bands who were voted onto the final shortlist. Click on each name to read more about them and click on the 'listen' icon to hear a selected track from each band. A large selection of your comments can be found by clicking on the list to the left.
Rob Hall, Woking:
'For Le Pas Du Chat Noir - the most stunning piece of music that I've heard this year. I never would have thought that a combination of oud, piano and accordion could sound so wonderful.'
Viola Galloway, USA:
'Working quietly yet: Most underrated instrument & artist (so far!) who's finally crossed all borders: world, Arabic, classical..and thereby created interest in all those genres among a totally new audience, as well as enlarging his old one!'
