2018 Awardee: Caitlin Forbes

Caitlin Forbes

"The RCS avails fantastic opportunity for me to challenge myself in the unfamiliar. Without the Dewar Arts Award, I wouldn’t be able to fully embrace the time needed to execute these opportunities. Thank you very much!"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from rural Caithness, Caitlin enjoyed success in performance and competition from an early age.  This included verse speaking, song, instrumental work, acting and dance.  However, Caitlin found there was limited opportunity for musical theatre performance in the area.  It was the enjoyment and acclaim she gained from a single performance role at school – Scaramouche in ‘We Will Rock You’ – that inspired her to follow a musical theatre career.

Caitlin set about preparing for musical theatre auditions, dedicated herself to improving her performance skills to a level suitable for higher education. She describes how this ‘took great commitment and ingenuity, pooling together skills learned from individual tutors in the 4 disciplines of musical theatre whilst also studying for SQA exams’.

Alongside this preparation, Caitlin also gained ABRSM grades, self-studied for Higher Music, travelled a 180-mile round trip to Inverness for Higher Drama and Classical Singing tuition, and a 540 mile round trip to Glasgow for RCS Transitions courses. This commitment paid off, as she gained a place on the HNC Musical Theatre course at New College Lanarkshire, Motherwell.  Her continued tuition and development of skills culminated in gaining a place on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s BA Musical Theatre course.

Caitlin’s ambition is to perform at the highest level – in the West End, throughout the UK, and internationally. She has a strong background in Scottish traditional music, which she would love to bring to her work.  Eventually, she would like to create her own work and teach any combination of the disciplines of musical theatre.

How the Award Helped

Caitlin’s Award supported her BA studies in Musical Theatre at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

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Caitlin Forbes

"The RCS avails fantastic opportunity for me to challenge myself in the unfamiliar. Without the Dewar Arts Award, I wouldn’t be able to fully embrace the time needed to execute these opportunities. Thank you very much!"

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2018 Awardee: Sarah McCormack

Sarah McCormack

"Being in receipt of the Dewar Arts Award lifts many of the restraints that would otherwise inhibit the production of good work. Material costs, living expenses and course costs are lessened so that I am able to concentrate on fulfilling my potential in my studies."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS:
 
 
 

Biography

Sarah is an experimental designer, originally from Dumfries.  She initially studied an HND in Fashion Design at Clyde College, Glasgow, and went on to study a BA at the University of Westminster in London.

During her BA, Sarah took a year out to work in industry.  She gained an internship at Maison Margiela Artisanal in Paris, under the creative direction of John Galliano. She was later accepted onto an MA at the prestigious Central Saint Martins in London.

Sarah’s ambition is to produce clothing that is handcrafted and artisanal, in a practice that is exempt from the current fast-paced industrial model. She is strongly inspired by historical silhouettes, and wishes to pair the old and the new – vintage textiles with experimental techniques and fabrications.

Techniques such as hand dyeing and printing are key to Sarah’s work, and she creates screen prints based on her personal illustrations. The overall effect she intends to create is deliberately haphazard and idiosyncratic, multidimensional and layered.

How the Award Helped

Sarah’s Dewar Award supported her studies at Central Saint Martins, London.

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Sarah McCormack

"Being in receipt of the Dewar Arts Award lifts many of the restraints that would otherwise inhibit the production of good work. Material costs, living expenses and course costs are lessened so that I am able to concentrate on fulfilling my potential in my studies."

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2018 Awardee: Rachel Neil

Rachel Neil

"I [will] use the award to help fund my tuition fees and the living costs of studying in Manchester at what I feel is a critical time in my music education and overall career"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.rachelneil.co.uk
 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rachelkneil

Biography

Rachel began playing the horn at the age of 12, being taught initially by her parents and also through lessons at school. At the age of 16 Rachel began being taught by David James, former principal trumpet of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Whilst at school Rachel was awarded the Thomas H Stewart Memorial Award, for the highest placed Brass competitor in the Perform in Perth Festival, for three consecutive years.  After leaving school, she went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she graduated with a first class honours degree in music education. She has since worked as a music teacher in one of Scotland’s highest performing secondary schools.

Rachel was principal horn of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland for four years under the direction of Richard Evans and also performed with the European Youth Brass Band in 2011 in Montreaux. She also played 2nd horn with the Whitburn Band for three years, becoming a Scottish Champion, before accepting the position of Solo Horn with the Kirkintilloch Band, which she held for four years.

Rachel has worked as a tutor and soloist with bands across Europe, including Germany and Denmark.  She has held the title of Scottish Open Solo Champion as well as the Bram Thomson award for best tenor horn for multiple years.

Alongside performing, Rachel was also the conductor of the Kirkintilloch Youth Band, winning a silver award at the Scottish Youth Band Championships in 2016.
She later gained a place to study a Masters in Performing at the RNCM, and is proud to hold the position of Solo Horn with the world famous Fairey Band.

As well as being a dedicated performer, Rachel is also a qualified secondary school music teacher, registered with the GTCS and with 5 years teaching experience in one of the top schools in Scotland. She has joined Sterling Musical Instruments as a performer and clinician and performs exclusively on a Sterling tenor horn.

How the Award Helped

Rachel’s award supported her in completing her Masters in Music Performing at the Royal Northern College of Music.

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Rachel Neil

"I [will] use the award to help fund my tuition fees and the living costs of studying in Manchester at what I feel is a critical time in my music education and overall career"

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2019 Awardee: Craig Manson

Craig Manson

"The performance I presented has now gained interest from programmers and venues in London and is now being developed further, none of which could have happened if not for the Dewar Arts Awards"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2019
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.craigmanson.info/
 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/_craigmanson

Biography

Craig Manson is a Glasgow-based artist originally from Caithness who makes performance for clubs, cabaret and theatres. He graduated with a first class honours in Contemporary Performance Practice from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2016. Since then he has shown work across the UK in association with Buzzcut, Take Me Somewhere, CCA Glasgow, Camden People’s Theatre & The Art School. Craig has also become a fixture in Glasgow’s nightlife, performing and hosting regularly at club nights such as Queer Theory and Shoot Your Shot.

Coming from a working class background, Craig is interested in how performance and live art practices can become more accessible to that audience. All his work has this in mind and he deliberately places it in contexts such as clubs or late night cabarets to reach those who may not have been exposed to it before. Artistically, Craig’s work uses choreography, comedy and improvisation to explore the connections between sexuality, gender, capitalism and mythology.

How the Award Helped

Craig’s Award helped to fund a week-long residency in London, to present new work at The Yard theatre.

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Craig Manson

"The performance I presented has now gained interest from programmers and venues in London and is now being developed further, none of which could have happened if not for the Dewar Arts Awards"

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2019 Awardee: Taylor Hall

Taylor Hall

"I am so grateful for this award as it has allowed me to...move to Edinburgh for the during of the Fringe in order to fully commit to this project"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2019
AGE AT AWARD: 19
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Taylor is an actor from Glasgow, whose ambition is to champion Scottish theatre and film. She studied an HND Acting and Performance course at the City of Glasgow College, and believes that ‘great actors never stop learning’.

Taylor was described as ‘outstanding’ when she auditioned for a production of The Brunch Club, directed by Ben Harrison.  She gained a key role in the production with  SDTN and Grid Iron, and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe.

How the Award Helped

Taylor’s Award supported her time in Edinburgh while she performed in The Brunch Club.

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Taylor Hall

"I am so grateful for this award as it has allowed me to...move to Edinburgh for the during of the Fringe in order to fully commit to this project"

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2018 Awardee: Ceri-Ann Townsend

Ceri-Ann Townsend

“The generosity of the Dewar Arts has been amazing! It means a lot to me and I am so excited to grow as a musician.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 16
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Ceri-Ann was born in Scotland and has always loved music. She is descended from two musical parents who have performed in rock bands and choirs, and says it’s no wonder she ‘caught the musical bug’.

Ceri-Ann began her musical journey by taking part in dance classes.  When she was three years old, she joined Dance til Dawn and excelled at tap as well as other disciplines. She developed her love of dance as well as singing when she became part of Our Lady of Loretto Youth Players at the age of 10 – an amateur musical theatre company where she played roles such as Oliver, Sandy in Grease and Anita in West Side Story.

Having taught herself piano before taking lessons, Ceri-Ann also took up the trumpet in primary school. She achieved exams in both instruments which continue to be part of her musical repertoire.  Her love of percussion began in her first year at high school and has grown ever since. She has been part of Midlothian percussion ensembles, which played at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh as part of the Midlothian Festival of Music and in Perth for the SBBA percussion competition.  She has also participated in Rotary Young Musician competitions as well as the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.

Ceri-Ann’s school percussion career included appearances in their productions of Seussical the Musical and Sister Act on the drums, working from professional musical scores. She was also in many concerts, including the school’s first ever Strictly Come Dancing, where she played kit in many different styles and tempos.  One of her proudest achievements has been attaining a place at the Junior Conservatoire in Glasgow in September 2018, specialising in percussion.  She went on to apply for a BA in Music at the RCS from 2020.

How the Award Helped

Ceri-Ann’s Award supported her studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Glasgow and in purchasing a marimba.

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Ceri-Ann Townsend

“The generosity of the Dewar Arts has been amazing! It means a lot to me and I am so excited to grow as a musician.”

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2015 Awardee: Harris Beattie

Harris Beattie

"I have benefited extremely from this award. It has given me a great deal of financial security [without] which I could not have fulfilled my course with full dedication...I am forever grateful for the trustees and can’t stress how much it has helped me through my course"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2015
AGE AT AWARD: 16
ARTFORMS:
 
 
 

Biography

Harris is an exceptional dancer and talented choreographer from Aberdeen.  He trained at the ‘Danscentre’ and attained Advanced 2 Ballet with Distinction before gaining a place to study at the Central School of Ballet in London. In 2012-2013, he played ‘Billy Elliot’ in London’s West End.

In advance of gaining his Dewar Arts Award, Harris had already trained for 10 years and collected the following impressive achievements:

  • Commonwealth Dance Festival 2014, Tramway Glasgow
  • Dance Proms 2013 and 2015
  • Royal Ballet Senior Associate 2014-2015
  • Joint winner of the UK Classical Ballet Competition ‘Phyllis Bedell’s Bursary’ in March 2015
  • Auditioned and participated in YDE (Youth Dance England) ‘Young Creatives’ at Royal Ballet School 2015
  • Choreographed the winning entry in national competition Genee Dance Challenge in June 2015
  • Accepted to attend Royal Ballet Summer School in August 2015
  • Participated in Genee International Ballet competition in September 2015

How the Award Helped

Harris received a Dewar Arts Award to support his studies at the Central School of Ballet.

Since the Award

2017 – Won the prestigious Gold medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition

2018 – Graduated from the Central School of Ballet with BA (Hons) in Professional Dance and Performance.

2018 – Joined the prestigious Northern Ballet.

Additional performance experience includes works by Wayne McGregor, Kenneth MacMillan, Matthew Bourne and Jenna Lee with Ballet Central.

Harris Beattie Dancing

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Harris Beattie

"I have benefited extremely from this award. It has given me a great deal of financial security [without] which I could not have fulfilled my course with full dedication...I am forever grateful for the trustees and can’t stress how much it has helped me through my course"

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2017 Awardee: Rhianne Goldie

Rhianne Goldie

"Being granted the Dewar Award has opened new doors for me. It has given me the opportunity to discover my true passions and interests within the design industry...With this grant I have been relieved of financial stresses, enabling me to focus fully on my education and career."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.instagram.com/rhiannegoldiedesigns/
 
 

Biography

Rhianne completed her undergraduate degree in textile design at the University of Dundee, and at that point felt she was unfinished with her studies. She went on to study an MA in Fashion and Textile Design at Heriot-Watt University.

Initially, Rhianne’s intentions were to enhance and develop her knowledge of heat-sensitive inks on textiles for fashion. She found her focus shifted throughout her studies, and she developed great interest in material exploration.  This led to exploration of worldwide, environmental issues associated with plastic pollution in the ocean.

Working with single-use plastics, Rhianne began to think outside the box and to push the materials to their limits. She utilised pre-existing design techniques to create innovative, body-adorning textiles in order to raise awareness of ocean waste.

How the Award Helped

Rhianne’s Dewar Arts Award supported her masters studies at Heriot-Watt University.

Since the Award

Upon completion of her masters, Rhianne’s university recommended she continue her research further at PhD level.  This prospect encouraged her to push her practice further than she had ever imagined.

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Rhianne Goldie

"Being granted the Dewar Award has opened new doors for me. It has given me the opportunity to discover my true passions and interests within the design industry...With this grant I have been relieved of financial stresses, enabling me to focus fully on my education and career."

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2019 Awardee: Mari-Anne Green

“Without the incredible support I have had from [the Dewar Awards], I would never have been able to take up my place on my dream course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. I am enjoying and making the most of every moment there and the fact that Dewar have decided to support me inspires me to push to do the best I possibly can with this amazing opportunity.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2019
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.facebook.com/marigreenmusic/
 
TWITTER: https://www.instagram.com/marigreen.music/

Biography

Mari Green is a jazz vocalist from Glasgow, who is influenced by a wide range of artists and styles of music. She fell in love with jazz at 13, on discovering her gran’s old cassette tapes and is heavily influenced by vocal improvisers such as

Mari became involved with the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra and was mentored and taught by leading UK jazz pianist and Dewar Arts Awardee, Alan Benzie, as well as jazz vocalist Stephen Duffy. In 2018 she joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland.

Mari is also a talented songwriter and composer. Her own work is inspired not only by jazz, but also other styles such as RnB and soul music. In 2016, she was selected to perform her original music at the Music For Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She went on to successfully gain a place to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

How the Award Helped

Mari’s Award supported her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

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“Without the incredible support I have had from [the Dewar Awards], I would never have been able to take up my place on my dream course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. I am enjoying and making the most of every moment there and the fact that Dewar have decided to support me inspires me to push to do the best I possibly can with this amazing opportunity.”

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25 August 2021

Success for Music Awardees

New releases, rave reviews and Artists of the Year

It has been an exciting time for music, with a number of Awardees achieving particular success with a range of projects. Here’s a round-up…

Calum Huggan's Album Cover

Calum Huggan signed to award-winning record label Delphian in 2020, and on 27th August 2021 he releases his debut album – American Music for Marimba. Calum brings his classical, rock and jazz influences to the Western canon in a uniquely expressive way.  Composer Ivan Trevino praises Calum for his ability to let the pieces “speak their truth, quietly and clearly”. Read more below.

Calum Huggan: American Music for Marimba

Calum’s Awardee Profile

 

Sean Shibe with Guitar

Image: Iga Gozdowsk

Sean Shibe‘s latest album – Camino – is receiving five star reviews in the press.  Featuring a repertoire of Spanish and French classical guitar music, Sean’s playing is described as beautiful and introspective.  Read more below.

The Guardian ***** – ‘Spellbinding and intimate’
Read Review

The Times ***** – ‘Exquisite and tender’
Read Review

Sean’s Awardee Profile

 

 
Màiri Chaimbeul has performed a prestigious session for The Scotsman. Born in Skye and now living in North America, Màiri received an Award back in 2009 to help her buy a pedal hard. She has since been nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award twice, has been a finalist in the BBC Young Traditional & Jazz Musicians of the Year, and is now a graduate of the Berklee College of Music (which she attended with full scholarship).  For her Scotsman Session recording, she performed Gaelic-inspired music from North America. Watch her performance above and read more below.

Scotsman Session Page

Màiri’s Awardee Page

 

BAFTA Finalist Banner

In 2019, Joseph Stevenson was one of only 8 applicants to gain a place to study on the Composing for Film and TV course at the National Film and Television School in London. In 2021, his compositions appeared in the animated short film ‘Night of the Living Dread’.  This film has now been nominated as a finalist for the BAFTA Los Angeles Student Film Award.  Find out more below.

BAFTA Los Angeles

Joseph’s Awardee Profile

 

Cross Trust Artists of the Year

Three Dewar Arts Awardees were named Cross Trust Artists of the Year.  Lauren McQuistin (soprano voice), Neil Birse (jazz piano) and Hugh Mackay (cello)  performed as part of the Perth Festival in July – a welcome return to live music after the long hiatus of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more about each of the musicians and their performances below.

Cross Trust Artists of the Year

Cross Trust Artists of the Year at Perth Music Festival

 

 

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