2017 Awardee: Daniel Stroud

“I am tremendously grateful to receive the Dewar Award as it has made my dream of studying in London possible.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Daniel is an exceptionally talented, hard-working and ambitious musician who has always shown great passion for the violin.

Daniel began his studies at the age of nine with Justine Corr at his Primary school in South Queensferry, and then in 2014 he gained a place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Junior Department where he studied with Jane Lemoine.

At the Junior Conservatoire, Daniel led both the Symphony Orchestra and the String Ensemble for two years. He received Highly Commended in the Nan Christie String Prize in 2015 and in 2016 was runner up in the Concerto Competition.

Daniel performs regularly as a soloist. He has won the Waddell Medal in the Edinburgh Competition Festival and has given a solo recital at the Scottish Parliament for the First Ministers Portrait Exhibition. He has performed alongside Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham having been asked to arrange one of Phil Cunningham’s compositions.

Daniel has been a member of the first violin section of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, has performed at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, and in 2016 he co-led the Arts and Film Orchestra, performing the score to the 1927 silent film ’IT’ at the ISME Conference in Glasgow with Patrick Doyle.

In 2017, Daniel won a scholarship to study violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Philippe Honoré.

How the Award Helped

Daniel received an Award to support his musical studies on the four-year BMus (Hons) at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and his ambition to become a soloist and leader of a professional orchestra.

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“I am tremendously grateful to receive the Dewar Award as it has made my dream of studying in London possible.”

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2017 Awardee: Christiana Bissett

"Because of the Dewar Arts Award I am privileged to be exploring my practice in a new and exciting masters, as well as engaging in an international dialogue about art and ecology."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://thedoinggroup.com/
EMAIL:christiana@thedoinggroup.com
 

Biography

Christiana is a Glaswegian artist, with a research practice in aesthetics and ecology. Using performance methodology her work explores how we perceive environment and how this perception impacts our imagined futures.

After making and touring award winning work with company Junction 25 from a young age, Christiana studied performance theory at the University of Glasgow. During this time she developed a clear interest in the urban environment, and created site based and politically engaged work programmed by the CCA as part of Unfix Festival of Ecology and Performance and at The Arches as part of Arches Live:Scratch.

With six other students in the department, Christiana founded The Doing Group, a collective response to the tradition of reading groups, experimenting with the potentialities of ‘doing’. Since their beginnings two years ago The Doing Group’s work has been shown in the Pollokshields Playhouse and CCA in Glasgow, as well as at Temporary in Helsinki. The group’s research has been supported by the Alistair Cameron Scholarship and presented in a Spaces of Exile Symposium in Tramway Glasgow.

https://cargocollective.com/christiana

How the Award Helped

Christiana’s Award supported her as one of six artists participating in a pilot MA in Ecology and Contemporary Performance at Helsinki’s University of the Arts. With an overarching question of ‘What is Performance Now?’, the students received mentoring from artists Kira O’Reilly and Tuija Kokkonen.

Christiana’s research explores how bodies and materials interact in the practice of water dowsing, and how neurodiverse subjects experience their surroundings.

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"Because of the Dewar Arts Award I am privileged to be exploring my practice in a new and exciting masters, as well as engaging in an international dialogue about art and ecology."

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2017 Awardee: Sophie Williams

“My award will allow me to focus on shaping myself and my future to become the musician I aspire to be...I am extremely grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for making my dream possible!”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://encoremusicians.com/Sophie-Williams-Violinist
 
 

Biography

Born in Edinburgh, Sophie Williams began learning violin at the age of three. In 2009 she gained a place at St. Mary’s Music School, where she proved herself to be an outstanding violinist and a highly sensitive musician.  She won a host of chamber music and string prizes, as well as several medals from the Edinburgh Competition Festival.

A keen ensemble player, Sophie has performed widely throughout the UK including several concerts in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  She has played an active role in the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, and was invited to perform at the BBC Proms with the Symphony Orchestra.

Sophie has a formidable work ethic and has demonstrated excellent leadership qualities.  She has been a leader of the NYOS Senior Orchestra, and throughout her final year at St. Mary’s led the school’s orchestra and string ensembles.

In 2016, Sophie successfully attained places at four music conservatoires around the UK.  She chose to continue her studies at the prestigious Royal College of Music, London.

How the Award Helped

Sophie’s award provided support for her studies at the Royal College of Music, affording her the freedom to fully apply herself to developing her exceptional skills as a musician.

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“My award will allow me to focus on shaping myself and my future to become the musician I aspire to be...I am extremely grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for making my dream possible!”

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2017 Awardee: Calum Paterson

"I feel very honoured and privileged that the Dewar Arts Awards have decided to support my talent."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: , , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.calumpaterson.co.uk/
 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/calumpaterson89

Biography

Calum Paterson is a sound designer, composer and theatre artist of exceptional talent.  When working on a production, he shows rigorous commitment to the ideas of the team, as well as contributing true flair, imagination and innovation.

A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Calum has worked extensively across Glasgow, Edinburgh and beyond.  After designing the sound for a sell-out run of ‘Chess The Musical’ at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, he was hailed as a ‘rising star of the creative industries’ by The Lighting and Sound Industry Magazine.

Calum made his Off West End of London debut, as Sound No.1 for ‘Working A Musical’ at the Southwark Playhouse. The show received three nominations for Offies Awards including Best Musical Production.

Outside of theatre, Calum can be found producing music and sound for a variety of new media, including voiceovers and sound effects for film, tv and radio.

How the Award Helped

Calum’s Award allowed him to purchase essential new equipment, enabling him to develop his artistic form, create new and exciting work with collaborators across the UK, and offer an even greater range of sound design and compositional services.

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"I feel very honoured and privileged that the Dewar Arts Awards have decided to support my talent."

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2017 Awardee: Jack Nurse

"I am delighted and honoured to receive this award...allowing me to put this learning into practice and develop my individual director’s craft."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.jacknurse.com/
EMAIL:jack@wonderfools.org
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/jackfnurse

Biography

Jack Nurse is a talented, creative and hard working director and theatre maker.

Brought up in Dumfries & Galloway, Jack studied Contemporary Performance Practice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before going on to co-found the Glasgow theatre company Wonder Fools.

Wonder Fools create new work based on current and historical real-life stories, which Jack directs. Their varied and dynamic programme explores different forms – verbatim theatre, historical theatre, participatory performance, performance installations – in tandem with wide-ranging subject matter.

The company quickly became one of six Graduate Emerging Companies on attachment at the New Diorama Theatre, London, and Jack gained membership of the Almeida Theatre’s Resident Director Network as one of ten emerging directors.

The company’s work has been performed across the country, in venues including Tron, Traverse Theatre, Macrobert Arts Centre, New Wolsey Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre, New Diorama, and Citizens Theatre.

As an assistant director, Jack’s credits include This Restless House (Citizens Theatre/National Theatre of Scotland), Blackbird (Citizens Theatre), The Winter’s Tale (Royal Lyceum), Hay Fever (Royal Lyceum/Citizens Theatre) and The Broons (Selladoor) for which he was also Staff Director on its Scottish tour.

How the Award Helped

Jack’s Award gave him the invaluable opportunity to direct a professional production at the Citizens Theatre; the culmination of his training there as an assistant director.

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"I am delighted and honoured to receive this award...allowing me to put this learning into practice and develop my individual director’s craft."

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2017 Awardee: Ali Watson

"I am extremely grateful for my Dewar Arts Award."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Originally from the North Coast of Scotland, Ali went to school in Bearsden.  He discovered his passion for jazz while playing bass with the East Dunbartonshire Schools Jazz Orchestra, and was taught classical double bass and jazz double bass at the RCS Junior Conservatoire as a scholarship student.  In his sixth year of school he joined the Music School of Douglas Academy where he had classical lessons.

Ali has played with ensembles including the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra (conducted by former Dewar Arts Awardee Alan Benzie), the Play On orchestra, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland at the BBC Proms, and a NYJOS Futures collaboration.

Described as a ‘truly special musician’ by his tutors, Ali combines a natural affinity for music with a genuine passion and exceptional skillset.  His ambition is to become one of the top jazz bass players in the UK and to play in a world-class contemporary ensemble.

“In twenty years of jazz education I have rarely come across a student as talented and diligent as Ali” – Tutor, Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

How the Award Helped

Ali’s Award supported him in developing his talents further, through a new instrument and study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

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"I am extremely grateful for my Dewar Arts Award."

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2017 Awardee: Mairi Grewar

"Without the support of the Dewar Awards I would have been unable to fund this degree...I am extremely grateful for their support."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.mairigrewarpiano.com/
 
 

Biography

Mairi Grewar is a pianist from St Andrews, who specialises in song accompaniment.

Mairi gained an undergraduate degree in Piano Performance, Cum Laude from Central Washington University.  During her time at CWU, Mairi served as accompanist for the Chamber Choir and repetiteur for CWU Opera Scenes concerts, including works from Pucinni’s La Bohème and Bizet’s Carmen.

Mairi has performed a wide range of repertoire, including piano solo works as well as extensive vocal and instrumental accompaniment. She has acted as Associate Accompanist for the University of St Andrews Music Department, as repetiteur for the Byre Opera, and as a teaching assistant for several music module classes.  She has played for regular concerts, choral engagements and chamber groups, and has recorded a selection of Messiaen’s vocal and chamber works for the University of St Andrews record label, Sanctiandree.

After CWU, Mairi went on to study the two year Guildhall Artist Masters Programme in Piano Accompaniment at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  There she played in recitals and masterclasses across London, performing at the Barbican, St John’s Smith Square and Milton Court Concert Hall. She performed in masterclasses for numerous notable musicians and as part of the LSO Guildhall Artist Platforms. She graduated in 2017 with distinction.

Mairi gained the opportunity to further her studies on the prestigious Artist Diploma in Repetiteur Studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Opera School.

How the Award Helped

Mairi received an Award to support her Artist Diploma at the Guildhall’s Opera School. This course offers an intense introduction to the world of Opera and opportunity to work with some of the best singers in the UK.

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"Without the support of the Dewar Awards I would have been unable to fund this degree...I am extremely grateful for their support."

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2017 Awardee: Caighlan Smith

"As the author of five published YA Fantasy novels, this is a dream program for me...It has been an amazing experience and will have a lasting impact on me as a writer. Receiving the Dewar Award has enabled me to continue with my studies in Glasgow and, for that, I will be eternally grateful."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Caighlan Smith is a Saltire Scholar at the University of Glasgow, where she is studying for a Masters in Fantasy Literature. This programme gives her a unique opportunity to showcase her talents both as a creative writer and an aspiring academic.

Born in Canada in 1994, Caighlan decided she wanted to become a novelist at age 9.  At age 13 she wrote a 550 page fantasy novel. At 17 she wrote her third novel, ‘Hallow Hour’. It was signed with a publisher and released in 2013.

Caighlan writes Young Adult dystopian fiction; a fusion of science fiction, fantasy and classical myth. Her strong sense of characterization and formal inventiveness has drawn excellent reviews from critics on both sides of the Atlantic.

Caighlan was a finalist for the Dell Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Science Fiction & Fantasy Writing in 2015 and again in 2016. She has written 19 novels and 2 novellas.

Living in Scotland is having a rich and distinct influence on Caighlan’s writing.  Her sixth published novel, the sequel to ‘Children of Icarus’, will be released in the UK by Curious Fox and in North America by Switch Press in 2018.

How the Award Helped

Caighlan received an Award to support her in her studies on the Master of Letters in Fantasy at the University of Glasgow – the first and only postgraduate fantasy program in the world.

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"As the author of five published YA Fantasy novels, this is a dream program for me...It has been an amazing experience and will have a lasting impact on me as a writer. Receiving the Dewar Award has enabled me to continue with my studies in Glasgow and, for that, I will be eternally grateful."

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2017 Awardee: Emily Norris

"The Dewar Arts Awards' incredible generosity and support have opened up a world of opportunity to me and will allow me to realise my full potential and aspiration of becoming a professional singer. Thank you!"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
EMAIL:emnorris@hotmail.co.uk
 

Biography

Born in the Scottish Borders, Emily is a third-generation musician who began singing as a teenager under the tutelage of Patricia MacMahon.

As a youngster, Emily discovered her affinity with opera as it merges her two greatest passions – music and drama – fuelling her ambition to enter a career as a professional vocalist with the ultimate goal of becoming an operatic soprano. Whilst still at school and preparing for her undergraduate studies, she was winner of the regional final of the Rotary Young Vocalist of the Year Competition and a member of the Scottish Chamber Choir.

In 2013, Emily began her Bachelor of Music with Honours degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she was taught by Helen Lawson. During her undergraduate studies, Emily regularly sang in live performances, commercial recordings, radio broadcasts, fully-staged operatic productions and opera scenes.

She has performed as a soloist and chorus member for a number of vocal ensembles including Les Sirènes Female Chamber Choir (BBC Choir of the Year 2012), the RSNO Chorus and the RCS Voices in major venues including Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. She has performed as a chorus member in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s latest production of Die Fledermaus and sung roles including Susanna from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro and Carolina from Cimarosa’s Il matriomonio segreto.

Emily’s other musical interests include Kodály Musicianship – a philosophy that focuses on the use of the voice. Emily discovered the value of this educational method when she was selected to take part in an Erasmus Exchange in the Netherlands and plans to complete her Kodály training as part of her Master of Music degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

How the Award Helped

Emily’s Award helped to fund her Master of Music (Vocal Studies) degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. This two-year course offers world-class tuition, performance opportunities in major venues, and opportunity to further develop vocal technique.

Performing in Die Fledermaus at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

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"The Dewar Arts Awards' incredible generosity and support have opened up a world of opportunity to me and will allow me to realise my full potential and aspiration of becoming a professional singer. Thank you!"

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2017 Awardee: Peter Thornton

“I am so grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for helping me fund my living in London. I truly feel that I have the space to grow into the musician I know I am. Thank you.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS:
WEBSITE:https://www.causewaytrio.com/
 
 

Biography

Growing up in the Highlands of Scotland, Peter began his journey as a musician by singing in school choirs and picking up the trombone aged 10. A year later he was given a guitar as a Christmas present, and began taking lessons on that too. Joining every band, club and organisation available to him at the time, Peter was fed musically with a wide array of styles whilst playing with the Highlands’ concert and wind bands, big bands and symphony orchestras for young musicians.

After a successful audition for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland; Peter gained tuition and guidance which would influence his approach to making music with others, and deepen his appreciation of music as an art form. During his final years of school, Peter developed a love of Scottish traditional music and co-founded his first group, the Causeway Trio.  Their collective enjoyment of trad spurred them on to write, record and tour together.

Gaining a coveted place to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, Peter had the opportunity to perform alongside many inspiring groups and individuals all over the world.  He became a sought-after and versatile musician in classical, jazz, Scottish traditional and early music. He continues to grow as an artist, harnessing his passion to create true and honest performances of the utmost quality.

How the Award Helped

Peter’s Award supported him in his training at the Guildhall, allowing him to focus entirely on his studies and personal development as a musician.

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“I am so grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for helping me fund my living in London. I truly feel that I have the space to grow into the musician I know I am. Thank you.”

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