On Tuesday, Music:LX held their annual Awards at Rockhal in Esch-Belval, opened by Bob Krieps from Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture.

Patrice Hourbette of MusicLX, the Luxembourg music export board, presented an overview of the organisation's activities in 2015, covering Pop, Jazz and Classical music. He stated that 2015 was not an easy one, particularly at the end of the year following the cancellation of various concerts and festivals due to terrorist activities in other countries, notably France and Belgium.

In 2019, MusicLX supported 1,093 concerts outside Luxembourg, up from 972 in 2014, with the majority in Germany and France, with Belgium and the UK in 3rd and 4th positions respectively (out of 53 different countries). 506 were Pop, 338 Jazz, 163 Contemporary and 86 Metal. 25 albums were released internationally in 2015 ans 1,359 articles published in international press on Luxembourg music artists.

Music:LX also invited 172 foreign artists to Luxembourg in 2015 (up from 136 in 2014) to events in the Grand Duchy such as Like a Jazz Machine held in Dudelange. He also reviewed a number of festivals abroad at which Luxembourg artists performed, both in neighbouring countries as well as further afield, including Japan. 

With the EU Presidency in Luxembourg, a number of Luxembourg artists were involved in performing at official events and a CD of Luxembourg jazz music was produced. In addition, other artists, such as Gast Waltzing, were involved in other activities during the year including, in his case, writing film scores and conducting international

orchestras. He also singled out groups including Say Yes Dog and Mutiny on the Bounty, as well as Cleveland, Sun Glitters and Cherokee, for their international achievements during 2015, as well as jazz artists including the Jeff Herr Corporation, Pascal Schumacher (Japan, Canada, UK), Reis/Demuth/Wildgen (Japan, Korea, Poland), Michel Reis 4tet, Greg Lamy 4tet (Brasil, Italy) and Maxime Bender (Canada, Japan). In the classical world, he mentioned Lucilin, Jean Muller, Cathy Krier and Sabine Weyer.

On the budget front, he revealed that the Music:LX budget for 2015 was €500,000 from the Mininstry of Culture and another €40,000 from SACEM, with 52% going towards the artists and 48% towards transport, etc.

For 2016, he listed a number of festivals abroad in which Luxembourg artists are expected to participate.

Luxembourg's Minister for Culture, Maggy Nagel, congratulated Music:LX for their initiative in promoting Luxembourg music and musicians abraod, as well as the artists themselves.

The winners of the 2015 Music:LX Awards were then announced and awarded as follows:

- Rock/Pop/Electro: Mutiny on the Bounty

- Jazz: Jeff Herr Corporation

- Contemporary: Artemandoline

- Special Award: Gast Waltzing

Photos by Geoff Thompson (below, L-R): Patrice Hourbette, Minister Maggy Nagel, Bob Krieps