2007 Awardee: Jodie Oliver

I am eternally grateful for this award as it will help me complete my course and fulfil a dream.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Edinburgh-born Jodie Oliver has been passionate about music since the age of five when she first began piano lessons. Her love of musical theatre started when she became involved with the National Youth Musical Theatre as a teenager. Jodie started off at Edinburgh University studying for a law degree, but soon realised she had made a mistake in not following her first love. She switched to music and recently graduated with an honours degree.

Jodie’s interest has always been in directing musical theatre, although this is not an easy path for a female to follow. She directed many productions in Edinburgh before moving to London to try to establish a career for herself and build a name for herself. Shortly after the move, Mountview Academy announced the start of a new postgraduate course in Musical Directing. The course was open to only one student, with the aim of developing them to be able to direct a West End musical on completion. Jodie was selected for that place.

As this achievement testifies, Jodie is considered to be a new and exciting talent in musical theatre, with energy and creative passion to match.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help towards the costs of Jodie’s course.

Since the Award

After successfully completing the course, Jodie was signed up by a London agent. Interesting projects which she began working on immediately include the London run of the musical Mathilde and a European tour of The 12 Tenors.

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I am eternally grateful for this award as it will help me complete my course and fulfil a dream.

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2007 Awardee: John Burlington

Thank you for this amazing award. I am very grateful.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD:
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From the age of 2, John has loved to dance and showed from the start that he had unusual talent. Despite the success of films like ‘Billy Elliot’, it is still tough for a boy to pursue a career in dancing.

Hailing from Motherwell, John has had his share of bullying and teasing. However, according to one of his early dance teachers ‘his understanding of his potential helped him through those difficult teenage years’.

John’s early dance training was at some of the leading dance schools for young people in Scotland. In 1994 he performed in a production of ‘Oliver!’ at the London Palladium. He has also worked regularly in pantomime and in 1999 won the Young Dancer of the Year Competition in North Lanarkshire.

In 2006 John won a funded place at the renowned Bird College, Kent to study dance and theatre performance. His dream is to dance on the West End stage.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards is helping to fund John through the first year of his studies at Bird College.

After demonstrating excellent progress in his studies, John’s funding was continued for a further two years. He writes, “I feel I have progressed well …[and] consider myself now to be technically stronger which has given me a good base on which to further my technique and strength.”

Since the Award

While still at college, John was invited to audition for Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake and offered a reserve position in the production. After gaining a good degree, John was signed immediately by an agency and offered a position as singer/dancer on a six-star world cruise ship.

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Thank you for this amazing award. I am very grateful.

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2007 Awardee: Jonathan Boyd

I would like to thank …. everyone at Dewar Arts Awards for this truly amazing opportunity.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Aberdeen-born Jonathan Boyd has been designing jewellery to wear since he was sixteen years old. He gained entry to Glasgow School of Art to pursue his passion for jewellery design, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree. He won the Richard Hubbard Memorial Prize while at the GSA.

Jonathan’s work is mostly narrative based and his most recent collection focussed on remembrance and personal memory. His degree show stood out from work by his contemporaries and compared convincingly with mature work by respected British and European makers.

Since graduation, Jonathan has produced both private commissions and exhibited at the major jewellery exhibitions and galleries, including Galerie Marzee (Holland), Dazzle’s Winter Exhibition in London and New Designers Section, which is an exhibition of the 50 best designers who exhibited at New Designers 2006. Jonathan was also runner-up for the 2006 Designer of the Year Award.

Pursuing an MA at the Royal College of Art is the next step for Jonathan to extend his technical skills and to develop conceptually.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help finance Jonathan to pursue an MA in metalsmithing, goldsmithing, silversmithing and jewellery at the Royal College of Art, London.

Since the Award

During his two years at RCA, Jonathan won a number of prizes including the Wadesddon Manor Commended Award and Marzee International Graduate Award and, principally, the Theo Fennel Award for Overall Excellence at the RCA Graduate Show. He was also shortlisted for the Conran Award 2009. Since finishing his MA, Jonathan has exhibited in several high-profile galleries.

Alongside his creative work he returns to the Glasgow School of Art as a lecturer/tutor. Of his work, Jonathan writes that it “addresses themes of written language, text and the object and their complex and intricate relationships.”

April 2014: Jonathan designed the medals for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (read more here)

January 2013: Jonathan’s work was exhibited as part of our Tenth Anniversary Exhibition, Roots to Shoots.

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I would like to thank …. everyone at Dewar Arts Awards for this truly amazing opportunity.

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2007 Awardee: Katie McIvor

I'm hoping that my new lever harp will enable me to go further in areas of folk music and classical. The Dewar Award has made all of this possible and was a huge help in so many ways.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 16
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

In her sixth year at Peebles High when she won the award, Katie started playing the harp in 2002. She performs regularly with the Peebles Youth Orchestra, where she played solo harp in Vaughan Williams’ Greensleeves at their 2005 Spring Concert.

Katie is currently a pupil of renowned harpist, Savourna Stevenson, who recognised her innate musical talent from the outset. In 2006 Katie won second place in the Advanced clàrsach section of the Edinburgh Competition Festival. She also plays the flute, piano and violin, as well as singing in the school choir.

Katie is an accomplished performer with an impressive and varied repertoire. She is regularly invited to play at local festivals, including the “Strings & Stories” event in East Lothian in 2005 where she performed alongside Donald Smith from the Scottish Storytelling Centre. It was such a success that it will be repeated in 2006.

Katie’s own creative compositions for the clàrsach have caught the attention in particular as being of exceptional quality for someone of her age, pointing to great potential in the future.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help Katie to buy a new harp.

Since the Award

Katie wanted a specific type of clarsach to complement her playing style.  She persuaded Scottish harp maker, Mark Norris, to create a prototype clarsach/lever harp to combine the compact, portable qualities of Mark Norris clarsachs with heavier strings and a larger, louder soundboard.  He also agreed to paint it lilac!  Katie won a place to study for a year at the Royal Conservatoire of Music in The Hague.

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I'm hoping that my new lever harp will enable me to go further in areas of folk music and classical. The Dewar Award has made all of this possible and was a huge help in so many ways.

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2007 Awardee: Kayleigh Sharp

I couldn't have done [this] without having my new instrument!

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from Inverclyde, Kayleigh Sharp has huge potential as a flautist. Her ambition is to study for a music degree; until recently she attended RSAMD’s Junior School, where she was considered to be a wonderfully gifted musician of drive and commitment.

During her time at Junior School, Kayleigh played in their orchestras and various chamber ensembles. She was commended for her playing in the School’s woodwind competition and performed in a master-class with international flautist, Wissam Boustany.   Kayleigh has won prizes in local music festivals and is current holder of the Inverclyde Music Festival’s Musician’s Union Shield and Trophy as well as being 2007 winner of the Greenock Rotary Club’s ‘Young Musician of the Year’.   Kayleigh is particularly interested in contemporary music and has played several of Ian Clark’s works in concert, with whom she has had private lessons.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award enabled Kayleigh to buy a flute.

Since the Award

Kayleigh successfully gained a place at the London College of Music studying flute and writes that “I couldn’t have done [this] without having my new instrument!”  Since finding a flute, Kayleigh has played with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra under the baton of En Shao with Julian Lloyd Webber as soloist and performed with RSAMD’s Scottish National Wind Orchestra.

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I couldn't have done [this] without having my new instrument!

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2007 Awardee: Keith Gray

This award will allow me to completely concentrate on my work without the financial stress and worry that I would have had without it … I am very grateful.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 29
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Aberdeen-born Keith put himself through a first degree at Central St Martin’s London to study fashion print, as he could not pursue this at a college in Scotland. While studying at Central St Martin’s he worked on a number of design collections which were subsequently shown in London, Milan and Paris Fashion weeks.

In 2007, his graduate collection of menswear, using all his own prints, was chosen by Central St Martin’s to be shown at the York Hall Press Show. Only a handful of students are fortunate enough to be selected. His tutor says of his final show that it ‘displayed a mature, restrained subtlety and attention to detail that distinguished him from his peers .. and his work reveals a wit and intelligence that never becomes too obvious or overstated.” Keith was awarded a first-class for his practical work.

Keith went on to win a place on the prestigious MA course in Printed Textiles at the Royal College of Art to develop his textile design creativity.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award contributed towards Keith’s tuition fees and living expenses.

Since the Award

After his first year at RCA, Keith writes, “This year … has been hugely beneficial for me as a designer and as a person. My work, ideas and technical skills have all developed and matured giving me the confidence and a clear vision of what I wish to do in the future as a designer. Without the generous help of the Dewar Arts Award this year would not have been so successful for me..” Keith’s support has been extended for a second and final year.

Keith successfully graduated with MA Textiles from the Royal College of Art. As well as submitting a full and comprehensive portfolio for his textiles examinations, he was invited to show a full collection at the RCA catwalk show, something which is extremely rare. The current economic climate (late 2009) is not a good time to start out in fashion. Keith has started up his own fashion label specialising in mens’ shirting whilst also seeking an internship with a major designer.

He writes, “Without [your] belief and financial support …., I would not have been able to take full advantage of the RCA’s teaching and resources and this in turn has given me the freedom to work late at night and during weekends always giving my full attention and commitment to my studies. The enormous commitment from the Dewar award has given me a unique opportunity to create a solid platform for my future.”

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This award will allow me to completely concentrate on my work without the financial stress and worry that I would have had without it … I am very grateful.

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2007 Awardee: Kevin Young

I would just like to thank the trustees for their consideration and would like to tell you how much this award will help me through the rest of this year.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS:
WEBSITE:https://www.kevinjamesyoung.com
 
 

Biography

Paisley-born Kevin Young’s story is pure ‘Billy Elliott’. His first dance teacher well remembers him as one of a group of boys who would hang about outside her dance classes annoying the girls as they entered and left the classes. But it later emerged that his real interest was in what went on in the dance classes inside the building, and eventually the dance teacher invited him to come inside and have free dance lessons.

She writes “from the first moment … as he walked into the dance studio dressed in his football strip and baseball boots I always knew there was something special about him.” Kevin went on to devote himself to hard work to developing his dance technique. He happily stood at the barre alongside girls half his age, learning the basics.

Kevin is the perfect example of hard graft, passion and self-belief being as vital to ultimate success as natural ability. He is an exciting performer already and commands the stage whenever he performs. Moreover he is an inspiration to youngsters from his area who well remember what he was and can see what he now has the potential to become. Kevin has won an international group hip hop championship and the UK solo hip hop and street competitions.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts will help towards the costs for Kevin to study at the London Studio Centre.

After a successful first year, Kevin writes, “My year at London Studio Centre has been one of the best years of my life, I have felt such a progression in all aspects of my dancing, acting and singing.” His support has been extended for a subsequent year.  Kevin’s support was continued into his final year after a successful second year.

Since the Award

After successfully graduating with a degree in dance, Kevin was signed by a musical theatre agent and has auditioned for the UK tour of Footloose.  He has appeared as a dancer on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, The Royal Variety Show and later in 2010 will be performing in both Hong Kong and Beijing.  He has choreographed for the Kinisi Dance Company which is something he hopes to do more of in the long-term. For more information, see: http://www.kevinjamesyoung.com/_/Welcome.html

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I would just like to thank the trustees for their consideration and would like to tell you how much this award will help me through the rest of this year.

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2007 Awardee: Laura Helyer

I was thrilled to hear that I have been offered an award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Suffolk-born Laura Helyer’s long-term ambition is to become a published writer of poetry and literary fiction. She recently completed an M.Litt in Creative Writing (poetry) with distinction from St Andrews and is now working towards a PhD.

Laura moved to Dumfries in Galloway in 2005. Whilst there, her poem sequence ‘Camera Obscura’ was the joint winner of the Kirkpatrick Dobie prize. Following this success, Laura was invited to participate in a poetry scheme which involved being mentored to produce a collection of poems for a public reading and being paired with an established poet to perform her poems. Laura read with the well-known poet Adrian Mitchell, who was greatly impressed with her work.

Other achievements include in 2006 being runner-up in the prestigious Cardiff International Poetry Competition with her poem ‘The Heron’ and in 2005 having her short story ‘Green Angel’ commended in The Eildon Tree magazine writing competition and subsequently published in their anthology. More recently in 2007, Laura won first place in the Kirkpatrick Dobie Poetry Prize and second place in the Muriel Carmichael Prize (for prose essay).

Laura is considered to have the potential to become an important voice in British poetry as her work becomes more widely published. Already she has shown to have unusual talent combined with intelligence and an ability to write with a language of precision and rare sensitivity.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award is providing financial support while Laura works on a series of poems and on a novel.

Since the Award

Laura writes, “[A] Dewar Award has enabled creative time, space and opportunities for which I have been extremely grateful.” Laura has sent her first collection of poetry, including a sequence of poems about the artists Joan Eardley, to a publisher. She lives in Dumfries & Galloway where she is an active member of the writing community.

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I was thrilled to hear that I have been offered an award.

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2007 Awardee: Lauren Stark

This means a great deal, not only to Lauren, but the whole family and the award is an enormous support to assist her to continue with her instruments. (Laurie Stark, mother)

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 12
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Twelve-year-old Lauren, from Airdrie, won the Kathleen McCartney music award for the community in 2007. She and her brother Declan, also a Dewar Arts Awardee, come from a musical family, inspired by her father who plays five instruments. Lauren plays both clarinet and piano and is a member of the junior concert band, the choir and the clarinet ensemble at school.

Lauren first started to learn to play the clarinet when she was eight, although she could not stretch her fingers far enough to reach all the keys. She switched to learning to play the piano until her hands had grown. She was accepted into the RSAMD Junior Academy when she was nine years old.

Although still young, Lauren shows considerable potential as a musician and is a member of a number of trios and quartets in the RSAMD Youthworks programme.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help towards the fees for the Youthworks programme to enable Lauren to continue her musical studies.

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This means a great deal, not only to Lauren, but the whole family and the award is an enormous support to assist her to continue with her instruments. (Laurie Stark, mother)

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2007 Awardee: Louise McMonagle

This is absolutely fantastic news, and thank you so much..

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

When Glasgow-born Louise started learning the ‘cello as a child of six, she little imagined then that it would become her career. But, as she says, thanks to great teachers and a lot of hard work she has seen the diversity of life in the music profession. She has performed across four continents to audiences in all kinds of venues ranging from bars, clubs and living rooms (with pets roaming free) through to the world’s finest concert halls.

At the age of 11, Louise won a place at the Douglas Academy Music School, where she was the fastest advancing student her ‘cello teacher had taught. She went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with a first-class honours and receiving the Dip RAM for outstanding final recital. In 2001, Louise won the Allie Cullen Memorial Award for best performance overall at the Glasgow Music Festival.

Louise was accepted onto the postgraduate course in performance at the music academy in Basel, Switzerland. Entry onto this course is highly competitive, and only three ‘cellists were accepted. She is considered a rare talent who has the ability to reach the top of her profession.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will provide essential finance to help Louise pursue postgraduate studies in Basel.

Since the Award

Louise graduated with a Konzertdiplom with distinction. She writes that in addition to studying with cellist, Thomas Demenga, she was also able to “take baroque cello lessons with Petr Skalka, quartet lessons with renowned quartet players Rainer Schmitt and Walter Levin, improvisation lessons with Walter Fendrich and modern chamber music lessons with Marcus Weiss.” She formed the modern music cello trio “Trio Riot”, with whom she continues to perform, and reached the semi finals of the international cello competition, Gianni Bergamo Classic Music Award.

Louise now lives and works in London. She is a member of the contemporary music group, Ensemble Amorpha, and is recording an album with the jazz ensemble, Tangent.

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This is absolutely fantastic news, and thank you so much..

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