2007 Awardee: Lynsey McRitchie

Thank you very much! I am delighted.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 18
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From Stornoway in the Western Isles, Lynsey has been involved in music making in her local community for years. She was a founder and key member of the local folk group Teine, which has performed throughout Scotland and Ireland. Recently they recorded an impressive debut CD, on which Lynsey sings, plays fiddle, piano and clàrsach and arranged some of the tracks.

Multi-talented Lynsey has won classes on keyboard, piano, clàrsach and fiddle at local and national Mod competitions. Teine have also won prizes at National Mod competitions. In 2005 she won the Western Isles Young Musician of the Year competition and in 2007 she was invited to play clàrsach for the First Minister in Ann Tanntair and in Orkney.

Lynsey is currently continuing her music studies at Glasgow’s RSAMD and her long-term ambition is to pursue a career in music performance, specialising in Scottish traditional music.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award enabled Lynsey to buy a clarsach.

Since the Award

Since receiving her new harp, Lynsey writes that her playing has gone from strength to strength.  “I feel very privileged to have received a Daughter of Dewar award and realise that it has helped, and will continue to help, my progress on the harp as long as I keep playing and for this I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

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Thank you very much! I am delighted.

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2007 Awardee: Mairead McManus

Thank you so much for my Dewar Arts Award, I am over the moon!

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

Biography

Born and brought up in Scotland, Mairéad is a winner of many All-Britain and All-Ireland traditional music titles.

Mairéad began traditional music classes by learning the penny whistle. She soon moved onto the concert flute to become both a fine soloist as well as an integral part of ceili bands. She is now an accomplished musician, both in whistle and flute, winning gold at the All-Ireland championships.

Mairéad is considered to be one of the most outstanding players of Irish traditional music of her generation. In 2004 she was invited by Capercaillie’s Donald Shaw to perform in his Harvest musical which opened Celtic Connections that year.

Studying for a Masters at the prestigious University of Limerick will be the ideal preparation for Mairéad’s future as a professional musician.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award is helping to fund Mairéad to study Irish Traditional Music Performance at the University of Limerick.

Since the Award

Mairead gained an MA in Irish Traditional Music Performance from the University of Limerick.

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Thank you so much for my Dewar Arts Award, I am over the moon!

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2007 Awardee: Maria Kozlova

I cannot thank you enough for granting the award. It will provide a unique opportunity to continue my studies at an internationally acclaimed opera school, where I can further develop my vocal talents.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Russian-born Maria Kozlova came to Glasgow after graduating in 2005 from the St Petersburg conservatoire in choral conducting with distinction. While still in St Petersburg, Maria auditioned for the RSAMD to enter the preliminary opera studies course. After two years, she won a coveted place on their Opera Course.

Maria has a strong lyric soprano voice of quality, substance and power. With a winning combination of talent, determination and potential, it is considered that she will develop a career of some distinction as a solo artist.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help fund Maria for the first year of the Opera Course.

Since the Award

In her first year, Maria sang the role of Titania in the RSAMD production of Eugene Onegin at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, winning excellent reviews. In the final production of the academic year, she was selected to cover leading role Blanche in Poulenc’s Dialogue of the Carmelites. Maria’s award has been confirmed for a second and final year.

Maria successfully graduated Master of Opera with distinction from RSAMD and won the Ye Cronies Opera Award. She is currently continuing to perfom in RSAMD productions and has been offered a coveted summer 2010 contract with the Glyndebourne Opera Company. Maria plans to participate in the major international singing contests – watch out for her name.

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I cannot thank you enough for granting the award. It will provide a unique opportunity to continue my studies at an internationally acclaimed opera school, where I can further develop my vocal talents.

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2007 Awardee: Marie O’Connor

I am writing to say a huge thank you…. I am thrilled! It will be an enormous help to me in my studies.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 28
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From Nitshill in Glasgow, Marie O’Connor graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 1999. After a few years working in the industry, Marie has made the decision to go back into full-time study and won a place on the highly competitive masters course in Mixed Media Textiles at the Royal College of Art in London.

Marie finds the prospect of studying at RCA very exciting, an environment which she says will inspire creativity, collaboration and critical debate between students from a wide range of backgrounds and training. Marie’s current folio is both interesting and exciting and full of experimentation, showing that she will take full advantage of the opportunities that studying at RCA present.

Marie’s work could take her in many directions, into fashion, design or visual arts. She is a name to remember.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help support Marie through her studies at RCA.

Since the Award

Marie writes that her two years at the Royal College of Art were “fun, stressful, inspirational, hectic, and ultimately really rewarding”. During her time there, she won first prize in a project for an international trend predictions company for her conceptual approach and textile samples. Collaborating with students of womenswear and accessories, she was runner-up in a design competition to produce a capsule collection for a well-known high-street fashion brand. The trio hope to continue their successful collaboration into their professional careers.

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I am writing to say a huge thank you…. I am thrilled! It will be an enormous help to me in my studies.

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2007 Awardee: Martin Murphy

I would like to emphasise and highlight the fact that this is a huge help to me and my studies at the RSAMD.

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

Biography

Lanarkshire’s own Martin Murphy started to learn to play the horn at school when he was ten years old and has since played on a borrowed instrument. Martin has a clear career path in music in mind and sees himself one day in ‘the principal chair in one of the best orchestras in the world’.

At an early age, Martin showed his natural musical talent and rapidly developed this talent at school to become one of the best students his music teacher had encountered in 17 years of teaching. He has played in many well-known ensembles in Scotland including the West of Scotland Schools Concert Band, Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra, and also in orchestras throughout the UK, including Northern Symphonia. As well as playing a mean horn, Martin also plays the piano at competitive level. He has formed his own wind orchestra that regularly plays at Christmas charity and other concerts.

To his delight, Martin has been accepted by Glasgow’s RSAMD to study for a degree in music. His future ambition is to continue postgraduate study in London or abroad and work with the best orchestras in the world.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has enabled Martin to buy a professional standard French horn.

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I would like to emphasise and highlight the fact that this is a huge help to me and my studies at the RSAMD.

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2006 Awardee: Martin O’Connor

I would like to thank you for this award which will allow me to dedicate quality time to the research and development of my writing.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 28
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Martin started performing in school pantomimes and went on to study drama at college. After graduation he continued to work for a number of well-known Scottish theatres.
In 2005 he started writing, first for The Arches Theatre Company in Glasgow, and went on to write and produce two solo shows ‘Manifesto’ and ‘Zugzwang’, for The Arches Theatre Festivals which were both very well received by both audiences and critics. Martin is equally talented as a writer and as a performer and combines humour with intelligence to produce work of power and poignancy.

Glasgay! Festival spotted Martin performing at The Arches Festival and invited him to write and perform a show at their 2007 season. Martin says that this new piece would continue to explore modern male issues. He is interested in subjects that question what it is to be young, male and Scottish in today’s society.

He writes, “I am inspired by gender politics in today’s society and am aware of the press and media’s power to manipulate our viewpoints. I recognise there is a massive crisis affecting men, especially young men, and this informed my work.”

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help support Martin as he researches, writes and develops his show for the 2007 Glasgay! Festival.

Since the Award

Martin’s show ‘Reality’ was a critical success at the 2007 Festival. He was invited to restage his production at the Tron Theatre, also supported by a Dewar Arts Award.  The experience of writing, producing and performing ‘Reality’ gave Martin the confidence to develop his writing. Following its success, Martin has been commissioned to write a new piece for The Arches in 2009.

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I would like to thank you for this award which will allow me to dedicate quality time to the research and development of my writing.

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2007 Awardee: Maureen McMullan

I was absolutely delighted to receive the news of the award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Brought up in Coatbridge, Maureen studied voice and piano from the age of 12. She went on to study music at Strathclyde University, gaining a first class degree in Applied Music, winning the ‘Sir Alexander Stone Prize for Excellence in Performance’ for her final recital.

Maureen has trained in a range of styles, from classical, musical theatre, jazz and contemporary. In 2007 she performed at the 41st Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, where she beat off competition from thousands of singers worldwide to compete in the semi-final of the Shure Vocal competition. She was the only UK singer to reach the final eight.

Acclaimed Scottish jazz musician, Tommy Smith, describes Maureen as a ‘phenomenal singer … [whose] … voice embraces jazz, blues, gospel, and soul and transmits emotions like few other singers.’ As a singer/songwriter and backing vocalist, Maureen has performed at many major Scottish music festivals, including the Edinburgh ‘Fringe’, Celtic Connections and the Glasgow Jazz Festival, and has worked with some of Britain’s most influential contemporary musicians. In 2008 she joined the Scottish Jazz Orchestra as the singer on their Jazz Toons tour.

After working hard as a full-time professional singer for some years, Maureen has a strong desire to expand her knowledge of music and develop her creativity as a singer/songwriter. She has been awarded a partial scholarship to study for a Diploma in Professional Performance at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will provide financial assistance to enable her to take up this fantastic opportunity.

In 2008, Maureen once more was selected for the semi-final of the Montreux Jazz Festival, Shure Vocal Competition, in Switzerland. She is the only UK entrant to make the final 12 worldwide. The president of the jury this year is jazz/soul legend Patti Austin.

Since the Award

Maureen made the most of her opportunities while at Berklee, graduating with top honours (Summa Cum Laude) majoring in song-writing. Her tutors at Berklee have tipped her as the one who will make it.  Maureen was invited to sing during the Commencement Ceremony of her graduation. Afterwards Barbra Streisand, no less, came back stage to congratulate her and encourage her to continue singing. Maureen has gained an internship with the world-famous Warner/Chappell house in Nashville which has some major names on its label. Maureen writes, “Sometimes it is hard to put into words how much this experience has completely changed my musical horizons and perspectives. Doors are opening up for me now that I could never have imagined..I have only positive things to say about the Dewar Awards who believed in me from start to finish and allowed me to follow my dreams.”

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I was absolutely delighted to receive the news of the award.

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2007 Awardee: Mia Valenti

I am thrilled to bits and feel very privileged… I will now be able to go to London and concentrate fully on my dance studies. For that I am truly grateful.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 15
ARTFORMS:
 
 
 

Biography

Mia Valenti has loved dance for as long as she can remember. She started learning to dance at her local dancing school in Wemyss Bay. Her first appearance on the stage was at the age of eight when she was given the role of the young Juliet in the premiere of Robert North’s Romeo and Juliet, by Scottish Ballet.

Two years’ later she went on to win a place on the Scottish Ballet’s Junior Associate Scheme. Later she enrolled in the Dance School of Scotland, Knightswood where she has studied for four years.

In 2001 and 2004, Mia won the John Marshall Memorial Award for dance from the Royal Academy of Dance.

Mia has always been a highly focussed and motivated ballet student, able to communicate well with an audience and perform with assurance. She has been offered a fully funded place at Central School of Ballet, London where her exceptional potential can be developed.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award provides support to enable Mia to study dance at the Central School of Ballet.

Since the Award

In 2010 Mia graduated with a Professional Dance & Performance Certificate from the Central School of Ballet.  In her final year, Mia toured with ‘Ballet Central’, a company formed from third-year students of CSB, to many venues in the UK. One of her more unusual performance venues was the Old Bailey in London.

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I am thrilled to bits and feel very privileged… I will now be able to go to London and concentrate fully on my dance studies. For that I am truly grateful.

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2007 Awardee: Michael Osborne

I was thrilled to receive your letter of award.

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

Biography

Dumfries-born Michael graduated with distinction from Queen Margaret University College in 2005 with a degree in stage management and theatre production. Since graduation he has been working freelance in Scotland’s theatre and film industry towards his long-term goal to become a producer.

While an undergraduate, Michael’s particular interest was in stagecraft and screencraft. He was employed by the university as cinematographer and line producer on a number of undergraduate films shot as part of the BA Acting course. One film, Watching’, was screened at a number of short film festivals and for a week on Sky TV.

Since graduation, he has worked on a number of films in different capacities. Recently a short film on which he collaborated was screened at the 2007 Leith Festival and the New York Minute Film Festival.

Michael is considered to have all the attributes needed to become a successful producer; talent, creativity, drive and enthusiasm. To help him to the next stage in his career, Michael identified a number of courses that would provide him with the skills and experience he needs.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award is funding Michael to attend a series of professional courses in film production.

Since the Award

Michael attended two courses on Moving into Management and on Production Management. As a result, he has been consistently employed during the worst part of the economic downturn of 2008-9. The benefits of the courses eventually helped him to secure a permanent position at one of the major schools in Edinburgh as Production Manager, responsible for all their drama productions.

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I was thrilled to receive your letter of award.

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2007 Awardee: Michael Segaud

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 18
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from Perth, Michael gained a music scholarship to Strathallan School in Perthshire and from that time onwards has devoted himself to becoming a professional musician. Michael says of himself that music is his passion and that he could not even dream of doing anything else.

At school, Michael took a major part in every musical production and led the School Symphony Orchestra in his final year. As a youngster, he played with NCOS, was a student at the RSAMD Youthworks and a choral scholar at Perth Cathedral. Since 2001 Michael has been part of NYOS and the prestigious Camerata Scotland, and since 2006 he has played with NYOS Futures.

Michael is currently a student at the Royal Northern College of Music on an entrance scholarship where he is studying viola. He has impressed as a talented, imaginative and individual musician. His development is being hampered by the lack of a good instrument.

Since the Award

The Dewar Arts Award will enable Michael to purchase a professional standard viola.

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