Biography

Even before Armenian-born Ani Batikian started her Masters at the RSAMD, Glasgow, in 2006 she was invited to be guest leader of their Symphony Orchestra, to play with the Hebrides Ensemble and to take two master classes with Ilya Gringoltz.

Ani began her musical studies at the age of 15 at the Yerevan State Conservatoire in Armenia, the youngest student ever to study there and supported by a local scholarship. Receiving the Raffi Manoukian full scholarship meant she could continue her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with a DipRAM for outstanding performance and a PGDip with distinction. When she applied to pursue a Masters at the RSAMD, she was awarded the prestigious International Full Scholarship for being an outstanding MMus student. She now studies with Peter Lissauer.

Ani has performed as a soloist throughout Armenia and Europe. She has performed with some of the major European musicians and received masterclasses with world-class musicians.

Since her arrival at the RSAMD, Ani has underlined her reputation as a musician of exceptional talent by winning the Hilda Bailey Prize, the Governor’s Prize for Chamber Music and the Mabel Glover String Quartet Prize. Shortly after her arrival, Ani formed the Cosmopolitan String Quartet, which she leads, and which has performed throughout Scotland and in London. These positive initial experiences in Glasgow have helped Ani to decide to make Scotland her home, believing that she can establish herself here as a soloist.

Amazingly, Ani has achieved all of this without ever owning her own violin. Throughout her studies she has been able to borrow excellent instruments at each institution, but she has had to give them back at the end of her studies.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will contribute towards a professional standard violin to match Ani’s prodigious talent.

Since the Award

When looking for the right violin, Ani was advised that when she played a violin that she didn’t want to give back, she would know that she had found the right one. Ani chose a Ciciliati violin and has since played it at numerous concerts.

For more information about Ani, her future concerts, and to listen to some of her recordings, see www.anibatikian.com.

Biography

Caroline Sharp has lived in the North-East of Scotland all her life. She is already recognised as one of Scotland’s foremost young violinists.

Caroline’s ambition is to become a professional musician. She is equally proficient on the piano. Caroline has been offered places to study music by four of the country’s leading conservatoires, and has chosen to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London under Maurice Hasson.

Caroline is considered to be a young artist of exceptional merit, one who combines the innate natural talent to produce the most glorious violin sound with artistic temperament, technique and a flair to perform. Her teachers at the ACMS believe that under Maurice Hasson, Caroline has the opportunity to develop her potential fully and become one of the best violinists Scotland has produced.

Caroline started learning to play the violin at 7 and was accepted into the Aberdeen City Music School when she was 11. She has been part of both the National Children’s Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, the National Youth Orchestra String Ensemble, Camerata Scotland and is currently first violin with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help Caroline with the considerable expenses related to studying in a major city. In her first year at the Academy, Caroline writes that she learnt more than she possibly imagined she would. In her end of year performance, she achieved a staggering 90% and gained a Highly Commended in the John Waterhouse Prize.

During her second year Caroline joined the European Union Youth Orchestra and in 2009 toured Europe with Vladimir Ashkenazy and Andrew Litton. A highlight of Caroline’s third year was performing as a soloist in Glasgow and Blackheath, London. In 2010, she toured again with the EUYO playing in some of the most prestigious concert halls in Europe, including the Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms.

Since the Award

Biography

Catriona is considered to be a musician of great energy and panache with the potential to become a leading player both in classical violin and traditional fiddle playing.

Born and bred in Orkney, Catriona started out learning traditional Scottish fiddle playing until her teacher persuaded her that classical music was just as ‘cool’. Now she excels in both styles. Catriona has had success in the BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year twice reaching the semi-final. She has already made her mark in composing much of her own material, drawing on her Orcadian roots.

Catriona spent her last two school years at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh before winning a scholarship to study violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester under Leland Chen. In 2006 she played in the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall as sub-principal second violin in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain under Sir Colin Davis.

How the Award Helped

Catriona owns a German-made violin and now needs a bow of equal quality to match it. The Dewar Arts Awards enabled Catriona to buy a high-quality violin bow.

Since the Award