More than thirty composers, including three from Scotland, have been short listed for this year's British Composer awards.

Hanna Tuulikki, whose ‘SING SIGN: a close duet’ weaves together music, singing, British Sign Language and architecture has been shortlisted in the Sonic Art category.

Sir James MacMillan has been shortlisted in the Choral category for ‘Noli Pater’, which explores sound from the Medieval period.

Anna Meredith is short listed in the orchestral short list, for Smatter Hauler.

The British Composer Awards are presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, and is sponsored by PRS for Music.

More women, 38 per cent of the total, have been nominated in the 11 categories than before.

Crispin Hunt, chairman of BASCA, said: “The shortlist announced today is a great snapshot of the creative expression that is contemporary classical, jazz and sonic art."

Julia Haferkorn, artistic directors of the British Composer Awards, said: "In these uncertain times the continually high quality of work by composers living in Britain is reassuring, while its diversity is truly uplifting.

"Inspiration comes from a wide range of sources – from brain signals to Victorian handkerchief thieves, and from London’s topographical features to mythical women.

"It is particularly pleasing to see that the shortlist features 50% of first time nominees, an indication that the British Composer Awards are reaching an ever widening pool of talent."

BBC Radio 3 will broadcast coverage of the Awards on Hear and Now on Saturday, 10 December.

The winners in each category will be announced at the British Film Institute (BFI) on Tuesday, 6 December.

Sir James MacMillan has been shortlisted in the Choral category, alongside Ave Verum Corpus Re-Imagined by Roderick Williams and When Time is Broke by Cecilia McDowall.

Ms Tuulikki is short listed in the Sonic Art category alongside Sonorama by Claudia Molitor and Tree Radio by Magz Hall.

For Smatter Hauler, Anna Meredith borrowed the name from a Sherlock Holmes novel – it’s a Victorian term for a gang of handkerchief thieves.