Despite the gloom of the present economic climate, the Dewar Arts Awards are continuing to support and encourage Scotland’s emerging talent .The latest awards were made to the following successful applicants:
Musical theatre is now recognised as an important element of the arts and new awards have been made to Fergal McGoff (Edinburgh), who began his working life as a painter and decorator, but whose dream was to perform on stage and to Kierah Poppy Stark (Inverness) who trained with Ballet West, Scottish Ballet Junior Associates and the Dance School of Scotland. Both will be studying at Bird College, Kent. Jasmine Main (Glasgow) receives an award to attend a summer school at Sylvia Young Theatre School, Epsom.
Other new awards have gone to Edward McGurn (Glasgow) who began his acting career at Coatbridge College, where he won the Ian Bannen Memorial Prize, and who will pursue an MA in classical and contemporary text at RSAMD, to Danielle Heron (Paisley) who has performed throughout Scotland with PACE, to study for a degree in acting at LAMDA, and to Toby Sheldon Lord (South Queensferry) whose particular passion is stage and screen combat, to continue studying at the Guildford School of Acting.
Nicky Spence (Dumfries) who has already sung with singers as diverse as Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel and Dame Shirley Bassey has received an award to study at the National Opera School. Awards have also been made to: Paul Kirby (Haddington), already recognised as one of the most outstanding young jazz pianists in Scotland, to complete a Master of Music at Mason Gross School of Music, Rutgers, New Jersey and to Patrick Kenny (Edinburgh) from a highly talented musical family who recently featured on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-up. His award will enable him to complete his studies at the Guildhall School of Music. Lliam Paterson (Ellon) a former pupil of Dyce Academy and St. Mary’s Music School has won an award to assist his studies on the Music Tripos course at Cambridge and Rachel Fisher (Bathgate) to study for a Masters at Birmingham Conservatoire. Rachel is a specialist in guitar performance who has performed with the Paragon Ensemble. Erin Smith (Aberdeen) originally received a Daughter of Dewar Award to buy a standard bow for her violin and is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music. This new award will enable her to continue her studies in London. Jemma Brown (Dunfermline) who began her career as a singer at Dunfermline Abbey and was awarded a scholarship to St. Leonards, St Andrew, will study opera at the RSAMD.
Pauline Edie (Broxburn) who graduated from Glasgow School of Art with a first-class degree and has already exhibited with Dazzle and at NMS, is working towards a postgraduate qualification in jewellery and silversmithing at Bishopsland Educational Trust. Krysty Wilson (Glasgow), an RSAMD graduate who has an outstanding gift for storytelling, is studying for an MA in Screenwriting at NFTS, and Ben McNeill (Edinburgh) will attend a summer course on documentary film making also at NFTS, Beaconsfield.
Several musicians successfully applied for extension awards. These have gone to: Jack Fawcett (Inverurie) who is studying music at Royal College of Music for his second year; Caroline Sharp (Banff) studying violin performance at Royal Academy of Music; Asher Zaccardelli (Edinburgh) to continue studying the viola at the Royal Academy of Music; Laura Kelly (Moodiesburn) to continue her opera studies at the Royal Academy of Music; Maureen McMullen (Coatbridge) to complete her studies in singing at Berklee, Boston; and David Smith (Burntisland) to continue his flute studies at Royal College of Music.
Extension awards for drama and dance have also been given to Dominique Collins (Dumbarton) attending the Laines Theatre Arts School; Shaun McLaughlin (Glasgow) studying at Elmhurst School of Dance for his second year; Mia Valenti (Wemys Bay) studying at Central School of Ballet for her third and final year; and Craig Creelman (Glasgow) and Kevin Young (Johnstone) both in their third and final year at the London Studio Centre.
Andrea Harkin (Edinburgh) has already received a BAFTA Scotland new talent award and is completing an MA in directing fiction at NFTS, Beaconsfield. Outstanding young photographer, film maker and visual artist Alex Boyd (Irvine) has won an award to complete his Sonnets of Scotland project.
Ruth Wishart, chair of the board of trustees, said that this latest batch of awards confirmed not only that “Scotland’s got talent”, but that it continues to be spread across all the art forms. “It’s especially important in these economically challenging times that we continue to offer support to the brightest and best to realise their potential where they lack the finances to continue their studies.”
For further press information: Liz Smith
Tel: 0141 423 4373 mobile 07971 417210 email
daisyben@msn.com.