Awardees - Dewar Awards

Struan Thorpe

Struan, from Argyll, has been passionate about music for as long as he can remember. His main musical instrument is the Highland bagpipes, but he is also plays the traditional wooden flute, saxophone, the tin whistle and the djembe.

Yvonne Paterson

Hailing from Paisley, Yvonne took up playing the flute at school at the age of 9. She studied music at the Royal College of Music in London, graduating in 2006 with a first class degree.

Lynsey Payne

Lynsey, who hails from Cumbernauld, started learning to play the saxophone when she was eleven. She studied with Joseph Pacewicz both while she was a pupil at Douglas Academy and later at the RSAMD, Glasgow.

Lauren MacColl

In the words of one of the leading teachers of Scottish Traditional Music, Lauren is “quite simply the best I have ever seen”.

Adam Clifford

As well as being an accomplished orchestral percussionist already, Adam’s real passion is for solo percussion. Considered to be a gifted and original musician, Adam has the potential to reach the top of his field.

Amelie Addison

Amelie has a strong and clear desire to communicate through her music.

Arlene Macfarlane

Head of brass at the RSAMD, Glasgow says that Arlene is “quite simply one of the very best brass players” to have studied at the RSAMD.

Barbara Misiewicz

Barbara began studying cello with Russian cellist Oleg Studnicki when she was seven. From the start she impressed as a young musician of enormous talent and potential.

Christina Lawrie

Hailed as a Rising Star by the magazine International Piano, Christina Lawrie performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician.

Bethan Newman

Bethan’s teacher is delighted with the way she is developing an individual way of expressing her innate musicality on the viola.

Claire Wheeldon

Hailed as a Rising Star by the magazine International Piano, Christina Lawrie performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician.

Connor Oldroyd

As well as being technically advanced, Connor has impressed his teacher with his extreme musicality and musical maturity and sensitivity, which is unusual in someone of his young age.

Connor Sinclair

From Crieff, Perthshire, Connor is the youngest winner of a Dewar Arts Awards. He is passionate about piping.

David Blyth

David is considered to be one of the most original, inventive and thought-provoking young artists working in Scotland today.

David Fennessey

Already David’s music has been performed in Ireland, Europe, Australia, South America and the US to critical acclaim.

Diana Simpson

Diana Simpson is one of the very few electroacoustic composers supported by an award. Her work has been performed internationally and she has been recognised in a number of prestigious competitions.

Eilidh Martin

Eilidh’s tutor Steven Doane writes, “Eilidh is one of the most intensely musical young people it has ever been my pleasure to teach. I believe she is one of Scotland’s finest young artists, and will bring great credit to her country.”

Elysia Leech

Elysia’s tutor considers her to be a singer of major potential who combines a mezzo-soprano voice of rare quality with an innate musicality and sense of drama.

Emma Durkan

Emma started playing Scottish fiddle in primary 6 and quickly showed natural musical ability and great potential.

Erica Eyres

A senior teacher at the Glasgow School of Art describes Erica as “without doubt one of the best artists I have ever encountered in over twenty years of teaching”.

Gillian Horn

Gillian started playing bassoon three years ago when she was 10. From the start she impressed as a natural.

Graeme Brown

Rapidly becoming a bassoonist of note, Graeme recently performed a concerto for bassoon and trumpet, with John Wallace, principal of RSAMD, on trumpet.

Hamish Napier

Hamish, from Grantown on Spey, started studying piano and flute at the age of 10. He grew up in a family steeped in the traditions of Scottish music.

Hazel Turnbull

Successful piper, Hazel, has been a member of the top-class Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Juvenile Pipe Band for over four years.

Helen Armes

Since the age of 11, Helen has appeared regularly with the Lyceum Youth Theatre and had leading roles in two children’s BBC Scotland TV serials.

Holly Lawson

Everyone who hears Holly Lawson sing agrees that they are listening to someone with an extra-special talent.

James Mackenzie

No stranger to winning piping competitions, James is the current and last year’s Scottish Junior Piping Champion.

Jamie Tetsill

As an undergraduate, Jamie impressed with his outstanding creativity and ability to challenge orthodox approaches to textile design with flair and panache.

Jennifer McVey

Jennifer McVey, whose Glasgow roots go back generations, has been involved in the arts and theatre from a very young age.

Jonathan Carr

Jonathan, from Wishaw, is considered to be an outstanding and unique talent in Scotland with a voice, musicality and performance abilities that are described as ‘breathtaking’.

Karen Cargill

Karen has become established as a top British mezzo-soprano and is one of the most distinguished young Scottish artists of recent years.

Kathleen Boyle

Now a freelance musician, Kathleen is current Scottish and British accordion, piano and piano accompaniment champion in traditional Irish music.

Kayley Donnelly

Kayley started playing the violin when she was 9 years old at her primary school in Springburn where she lives. It was soon apparent that she had a special musical gift which should be nurtured.

Kirsty MacKinnon

Kirsty comes from a family with a long tradition in Gaelic music. She has been involved in many arts projects in her hometown of Tobermory over the years.

Laura Aldridge

Laura moved to Scotland to pursue a Master of Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art and has now made Glasgow her base where she believes that, as an artist, her work can flourish in a supportive environment.

Laura McKinlay

From the age of seven, Laura’s driving ambition has been to become a professional musician.

Lee Borwick

Lee graduated with a first-class honours from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. She received the John Grays Legacy while an undergraduate and was also nominated by Gray’s for the BP Prize.

Lesley-Ann Smith

While still an undergraduate, Lesley-Ann distinguished herself by winning the Eugene Cruft prize for Double Bass in 2004 and 2006.

Linsey McDonald

Linsey is considered to have both the technique and artistic potential to become one of the very finest lead trumpeters in the UK.

Lorna Geller

Lorna’s musical CV is impressive, she is winner of many prizes and awards, including the 2005 Waddell Memorial Prize for Scottish String Players.

Madeleine Shaw

Madeleine is considered to be one of the most gifted mezzo sopranos of her generation.

Malcolm Cruickshank

Born and brought up in Edinburgh, Malcolm is an innovative designer and maker. He excels at combining the unusual and unconventional to create well designed objects that function.

Michael O’Donnell

Michael O’Donnell is, in the opinion of his RCM tutor, one of the finest oboists of his generation who brings a generosity of spirit in all he does.

Murdo Macrae

Murdo, who was brought up in the West Highland village of Nostie in Lochalsh in Ross-shire, has a passion for his native Scottish culture. He has an outstanding vocal talent, in addition to playing the clàrsach, which have won him 26 gold medals at local and national Mods.

Peter Murch

Percussionist Peter Murch comes from a family of strong musicians. Brought up in Aberfeldy in Perthshire, Peter has been part of the RSAMD YouthWorks programme for the past two years and has now embarked on full-time undergraduate study also at RSAMD. Despite never having owned his own percussion instruments, but having to borrow ones from school, Peter has worked very …