Ovation (award)
Ovation is a Russian National Music Award in the field of entertainment and popular music.
It is the Russian analogue of foreign music awards such as the American «Grammy» and British «Brit Awards». The first Ovation ceremony was held in 1992, initiated by businessman Grigory Kuznetsov.
The award ceremony, its trophy depicting a pair of applauding hands, is held annually in the "Russia" concert hall or in the State Kremlin Palace. Originally the audience was supposed to determine the winners: any person could buy a special card, fill it in and send it to the organizers. However, this method was used to identify the winners only at the first ceremony in 1992. In all subsequent "Ovation" events winners were determined by a special jury, the Higher Academic Commission, consisting of show business figures, journalists, and various artists.
"Ovation" trophies are awarded in several dozen categories, including "Soloist of the Year", "Composer of the Year", "Best R & B Album", "Best Vocal Debut of the Year", etc. Additionally, there are various special prizes, such as "Living Legend" or the award for a major contribution to the development of the national culture.