2018 Awardee: Caitlin Forbes

Caitlin Forbes

"The RCS avails fantastic opportunity for me to challenge myself in the unfamiliar. Without the Dewar Arts Award, I wouldn’t be able to fully embrace the time needed to execute these opportunities. Thank you very much!"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from rural Caithness, Caitlin enjoyed success in performance and competition from an early age.  This included verse speaking, song, instrumental work, acting and dance.  However, Caitlin found there was limited opportunity for musical theatre performance in the area.  It was the enjoyment and acclaim she gained from a single performance role at school – Scaramouche in ‘We Will Rock You’ – that inspired her to follow a musical theatre career.

Caitlin set about preparing for musical theatre auditions, dedicated herself to improving her performance skills to a level suitable for higher education. She describes how this ‘took great commitment and ingenuity, pooling together skills learned from individual tutors in the 4 disciplines of musical theatre whilst also studying for SQA exams’.

Alongside this preparation, Caitlin also gained ABRSM grades, self-studied for Higher Music, travelled a 180-mile round trip to Inverness for Higher Drama and Classical Singing tuition, and a 540 mile round trip to Glasgow for RCS Transitions courses. This commitment paid off, as she gained a place on the HNC Musical Theatre course at New College Lanarkshire, Motherwell.  Her continued tuition and development of skills culminated in gaining a place on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s BA Musical Theatre course.

Caitlin’s ambition is to perform at the highest level – in the West End, throughout the UK, and internationally. She has a strong background in Scottish traditional music, which she would love to bring to her work.  Eventually, she would like to create her own work and teach any combination of the disciplines of musical theatre.

How the Award Helped

Caitlin’s Award supported her BA studies in Musical Theatre at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

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Caitlin Forbes

"The RCS avails fantastic opportunity for me to challenge myself in the unfamiliar. Without the Dewar Arts Award, I wouldn’t be able to fully embrace the time needed to execute these opportunities. Thank you very much!"

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2018 Awardee: Sarah McCormack

Sarah McCormack

"Being in receipt of the Dewar Arts Award lifts many of the restraints that would otherwise inhibit the production of good work. Material costs, living expenses and course costs are lessened so that I am able to concentrate on fulfilling my potential in my studies."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS:
 
 
 

Biography

Sarah is an experimental designer, originally from Dumfries.  She initially studied an HND in Fashion Design at Clyde College, Glasgow, and went on to study a BA at the University of Westminster in London.

During her BA, Sarah took a year out to work in industry.  She gained an internship at Maison Margiela Artisanal in Paris, under the creative direction of John Galliano. She was later accepted onto an MA at the prestigious Central Saint Martins in London.

Sarah’s ambition is to produce clothing that is handcrafted and artisanal, in a practice that is exempt from the current fast-paced industrial model. She is strongly inspired by historical silhouettes, and wishes to pair the old and the new – vintage textiles with experimental techniques and fabrications.

Techniques such as hand dyeing and printing are key to Sarah’s work, and she creates screen prints based on her personal illustrations. The overall effect she intends to create is deliberately haphazard and idiosyncratic, multidimensional and layered.

How the Award Helped

Sarah’s Dewar Award supported her studies at Central Saint Martins, London.

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Sarah McCormack

"Being in receipt of the Dewar Arts Award lifts many of the restraints that would otherwise inhibit the production of good work. Material costs, living expenses and course costs are lessened so that I am able to concentrate on fulfilling my potential in my studies."

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2018 Awardee: Rachel Neil

Rachel Neil

"I [will] use the award to help fund my tuition fees and the living costs of studying in Manchester at what I feel is a critical time in my music education and overall career"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.rachelneil.co.uk
 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rachelkneil

Biography

Rachel began playing the horn at the age of 12, being taught initially by her parents and also through lessons at school. At the age of 16 Rachel began being taught by David James, former principal trumpet of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Whilst at school Rachel was awarded the Thomas H Stewart Memorial Award, for the highest placed Brass competitor in the Perform in Perth Festival, for three consecutive years.  After leaving school, she went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where she graduated with a first class honours degree in music education. She has since worked as a music teacher in one of Scotland’s highest performing secondary schools.

Rachel was principal horn of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland for four years under the direction of Richard Evans and also performed with the European Youth Brass Band in 2011 in Montreaux. She also played 2nd horn with the Whitburn Band for three years, becoming a Scottish Champion, before accepting the position of Solo Horn with the Kirkintilloch Band, which she held for four years.

Rachel has worked as a tutor and soloist with bands across Europe, including Germany and Denmark.  She has held the title of Scottish Open Solo Champion as well as the Bram Thomson award for best tenor horn for multiple years.

Alongside performing, Rachel was also the conductor of the Kirkintilloch Youth Band, winning a silver award at the Scottish Youth Band Championships in 2016.
She later gained a place to study a Masters in Performing at the RNCM, and is proud to hold the position of Solo Horn with the world famous Fairey Band.

As well as being a dedicated performer, Rachel is also a qualified secondary school music teacher, registered with the GTCS and with 5 years teaching experience in one of the top schools in Scotland. She has joined Sterling Musical Instruments as a performer and clinician and performs exclusively on a Sterling tenor horn.

How the Award Helped

Rachel’s award supported her in completing her Masters in Music Performing at the Royal Northern College of Music.

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Rachel Neil

"I [will] use the award to help fund my tuition fees and the living costs of studying in Manchester at what I feel is a critical time in my music education and overall career"

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2018 Awardee: Ceri-Ann Townsend

Ceri-Ann Townsend

“The generosity of the Dewar Arts has been amazing! It means a lot to me and I am so excited to grow as a musician.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 16
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Ceri-Ann was born in Scotland and has always loved music. She is descended from two musical parents who have performed in rock bands and choirs, and says it’s no wonder she ‘caught the musical bug’.

Ceri-Ann began her musical journey by taking part in dance classes.  When she was three years old, she joined Dance til Dawn and excelled at tap as well as other disciplines. She developed her love of dance as well as singing when she became part of Our Lady of Loretto Youth Players at the age of 10 – an amateur musical theatre company where she played roles such as Oliver, Sandy in Grease and Anita in West Side Story.

Having taught herself piano before taking lessons, Ceri-Ann also took up the trumpet in primary school. She achieved exams in both instruments which continue to be part of her musical repertoire.  Her love of percussion began in her first year at high school and has grown ever since. She has been part of Midlothian percussion ensembles, which played at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh as part of the Midlothian Festival of Music and in Perth for the SBBA percussion competition.  She has also participated in Rotary Young Musician competitions as well as the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.

Ceri-Ann’s school percussion career included appearances in their productions of Seussical the Musical and Sister Act on the drums, working from professional musical scores. She was also in many concerts, including the school’s first ever Strictly Come Dancing, where she played kit in many different styles and tempos.  One of her proudest achievements has been attaining a place at the Junior Conservatoire in Glasgow in September 2018, specialising in percussion.  She went on to apply for a BA in Music at the RCS from 2020.

How the Award Helped

Ceri-Ann’s Award supported her studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Glasgow and in purchasing a marimba.

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Ceri-Ann Townsend

“The generosity of the Dewar Arts has been amazing! It means a lot to me and I am so excited to grow as a musician.”

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2018 Awardee: Shola von Reynolds

"I find it legitimately exciting that Dewar are supporting black Scottish artists and writers, and am elated to be one of them."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD:
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Shola von Reynolds is a Scottish-Nigerian writer. A graduate of the MLitt in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, Shola completed the course with support of grants and a Jessica York Writing Scholarship.

After graduating, Shola remained in Glasgow, began writing a debut novel and also gained a coveted place to study on the MSt in Literature at the University of Oxford.

In 2018, Shola was Cove Park’s Scottish Emerging Writer and has had fiction published or upcoming in The Cambridge Literary Review and The Stockholm Review amongst others. Shola writes widely around race, ornament, beauty, and gender, has written articles for AnOther and i-D and is a Scottish Review of Books Emerging Critic.

How the Award Helped

Receiving a Dewar Arts Award enabled Shola to work on LOTE, a debut novel which follows present-day narrator Mathilda’s fixation with the forgotten black Scottish modernist poet and socialite Hermia Druitt.

The award also supported Shola in undertaking an MSt at the University of Oxford. This will facilitate a new stage of research into black and Asian figures in Europe prior to WWII who have been absent from cultural histories. It will also broaden archive and museum-based research skills of the kind precious to any writer.

Shola tells us;

The same week I received my place on the course, diversity statistics showed that black students face particularly significant barriers when it comes to studying at Oxford, with white peers twice as likely to be accepted. Many who are accepted are less likely to take up their place due to financial reasons. Given all this, I find it legitimately exciting that Dewar are supporting black Scottish artists and writers, and am elated to be one of them. Without the award I would simply not be able to accept my place and I would particularly urge any writer of colour in Scotland to apply.

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"I find it legitimately exciting that Dewar are supporting black Scottish artists and writers, and am elated to be one of them."

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2018 Awardee: Kirsty MacLeod

"I am eternally grateful for your support without which [my studies] would not be possible."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
 
EMAIL:kirsty_mac@outlook.com
 

Biography

After studying at the Music School of Douglas Academy in 2013, Kirsty gained a scholarship for a Bachelor of Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Whilst at the RCS, Kirsty was awarded the Robert Highgate Prize for Excellence in Violin, the Mabel Glober String Prize for Chamber Music and was the reciprocate of the Thomas and Margaret Roddan Scholarship and the Wolfson Scholarship. She was selected to partake in the Cantilena Music Festival, where she performed solo and as part of the chamber orchestra.

In 2014, Kirsty was invited by Jacqueline Ross to take part in Festival MusicAlpe in France, and in 2015 she became a freelance member of the RSNO.

Kirsty has performed in venues including Perth Concert Hall, Edinburgh Usher Hall and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.  She has performed for numerous Music Series’ and Festivals including Westbourne Music Series, Rannoch Music Series and Glasgow Cathedral Festival. In 2016 she was invited to the Mendelssohn on Mull festival, where she performed with the Chilingirian Quartet in numerous venues.

In 2017, Kirsty became a freelance member of the Scottish Ballet and the English National Ballet, as well as graduating from the RCS with First Class Honours. She has performed as a session musician at high profile events including the Evanescence UK tour and alongside Susan Boyle.

Kirsty has taught violin and chamber music at RCS Summer Courses and also offers private tuition.

How the Award Helped

Kirsty’s Award supported her in studying a Master of Art at the Royal Academy.

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"I am eternally grateful for your support without which [my studies] would not be possible."

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2018 Awardee: Ross Montgomery

"I am extremely grateful for the Dewar Arts Awards and their generous support."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
EMAIL:rossmontgomery1@live.co.uk
 

Biography

Ayrshire-born clarinettist and saxophonist Ross began his musical studies as a pianist, entering the Royal Scottish Academy Junior Department at the age of eight. At 16, Ross then took up the saxophone and clarinet, studying at Douglas Academy, and moved on to study both instruments at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), completing his Joint Principal Study bachelor’s degree in 2015.

Ross turned his focus to the clarinet during his second year at RCS and during his studies, spent an exchange term at the Conservatorio di Verona E.F. Dall’Abaco in Italy. In 2016, Ross completed a Master of Arts Performance in clarinet at RCS, for which he was gratefully supported by Help Musicians UK.

Performing on both clarinet and saxophone, Ross has enjoyed orchestral experience across the UK and Europe, in 2010 performing the premiere of Katrina Gordon’s Saxophone Concerto with the Highland Chamber Orchestra at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness. Ross has performed saxophone with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, clarinet with I Virtuosi Italiani and in 2012 took part in the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Mentoring Scheme. In 2016, he was selected to be mentored on clarinet with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and he has played alongside Red Note Ensemble as part of its Advanced Academy collaboration with Paris Conservatoire and Sibelius Academy.

Ross has toured the UK, Umbria and Tuscany performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with Stirling Orchestra and Raucous Rossini, and performed Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet with the Allegri String Quartet for concerts in Honor Oak Park and Richmond. He is a former member of ‘Athenaeum Winds’ – Enterprise Music Scotland artists from 2013-2016.

In 2017, Ross performed as Co-Principal with Southbank Sinfonia, as well as appearing as soloist; performing Weber’s Clarinet Concertino in London and Anghiari Festival, in Tuscany. In 2018 he gained an offerto continue his studies at Royal College of Music, on the Artist Diploma course under the tutelage of Richard Hosford and Tim Lines.

How the Award Helped

Ross’ Award supported him in undertaking his Artist Diploma in Performance at the Royal College of Music.

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"I am extremely grateful for the Dewar Arts Awards and their generous support."

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2018 Awardee: Colin Murray

"Without the award I received from the Dewar Arts Awards it would not have been possible to complete my studies. Thanks to their incredible generosity, I am now able to move forward into life as a professional singer."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Colin Murray discovered singing at a young age, taking part in the National Boys Choir of Scotland before graduating to the National Youth Choir of Scotland. Through NYCoS, Colin had the privilege of singing in some of Europe’s finest concert venues whilst he was still a teenager. These experiences, alongside the top musicianship training offered, gave him the passion and the opportunity to pursue singing further by gaining entry to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Colin’s operatic engagements include the role of ‘Harry Easter’ in The RCS production of Kurt Weill’s ‘Street Scene’, the title role in Victor Ullman’s ‘Der Kaiser von Atlantis’ and covering the role of ‘Belcore’ at the inaugural New Generation Festival in Florence. In his time at the RCS he performed several roles, including ‘Le Roi Mark’ in a rare staged performance of Frank Martin’s ‘Le Vin Herbe’, ‘Don Alfonso’ in Mozart’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ and ‘Father’ in Humperdinck’s ‘Hansel und Gretel’ in a performance opening the 2016 Saint Magnus Festival on Orkney. Outside the RCS, Colin is a founding member of the company Raucous Rossini, and has performed the roles of ‘Blansac’ in ‘La Scala di seta’ touring Britain and Italy.

Colin is an accomplished concert soloist and award-winning ensemble singer. He works regularly with many of Scotland’s biggest choral societies and recent high-profile appearances have included Elgar’s ‘Dream of Gerontius’ and Walton’s ‘Belshazzar’s Feast’ at Glasgow’s City Halls.  He is passionate about ensemble singing and in 2017 won the Governor’s Recital Prize for Chamber Music at the Royal Conservatoire, part of the first vocal ensemble ever to do so. Colin is a founding member of the ‘RCS Voices’ and a regular choral scholar with the choir of Paisley Abbey.

How the Award Helped

Colin’s award supported him in completing his postgraduate studies at the Alexander Gibson Opera School at the Royal Conservatorie of Scotland, where he studied with Scott Johnson.

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"Without the award I received from the Dewar Arts Awards it would not have been possible to complete my studies. Thanks to their incredible generosity, I am now able to move forward into life as a professional singer."

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2018 Awardee: Emma Simpson

“I am extremely grateful for the generous support of the Dewar Arts Awards - thank you!”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 18
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Originally from Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Emma became interested in music at an early age, and began learning the bassoon in school. Keen to take it further, she moved to Glasgow to study at the Music School of Douglas Academy for her final years of school.

Here she found many opportunities and was able to meet and play with lots of other likeminded young musicians. She had the opportunity to play with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain for two years and with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland as Principal bassoon.

Emma gained a scholarship to study on the undergraduate performance programme at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Here she identified the need to purchase her own bassoon, in order to develop as a musician and play professionally.

How the Award Helped

Emma’s award enabled her to purchase a basson, allowing her to develop fully as a musician.

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“I am extremely grateful for the generous support of the Dewar Arts Awards - thank you!”

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2018 Awardee: Grace Wain

"I am so very thankful for my Dewar Award. It would have been impossible for me to participate in the masterclasses without financial help and I'm incredibly grateful for the generous support that I have received."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.gracewain.com/
EMAIL:info@gracewain.com
 

Biography

Grace is originally from Lincolnshire and went on to study at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with Suzanne Murphy.  She graduated in 2014 with an MA in Opera Performance and a 1st Class BMus (Hons).  During her time at RWCMD she has appeared in concerts with the College Chorus and Symphony Orchestra as well as lunchtime recitals as a chorus member and as a soloist.  After moving to Scotland in 2014, Grace studied with Patricia MacMahon.

Grace’s operatic work includes; Zweite Dame/Zweite Knabe in Die Zauberflöte (Escales Lyriques), Dryade (Cover) in Ariadne auf Naxos (Scottish Opera),La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi (Les Azuriales), 2nd Bridesmaid (Cover)/Chorus in Le Nozze di Figaro and Chorus in Eugene Onegin, Aleko/Francesca da Rimini, La Traviata, Iolanta, La bohème, Le Villi, L’amico Fritz, Pelléas et Mélisande, The Mikado, Rusalka, Carmen and Madama Butterfly (all Scottish Opera). Chorus in HMS Pinafore, Princess Ida, The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance (all The National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company), Jennifer/The Creator in My Perfect World (Welsh National Opera Outreach Workshop), 2nd Lady in The Magic Flute (RWCMD), Stewardess (Cover) in Flight (RWCMD), Bianca and Auntie in Britten’s Women (RWCMD at The Bath International Music Festival), Bianca in The Rape of Lucretia (RWCMD), Chorus in The Bartered Bride and Chorus in Le Nozze di Figaro (both British Youth Opera).

In scenes, she has also sung: Componist in Ariadne auf Naxos (with orchestra), Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Carmen, Idamante in Idomeneo, Cendrillon (with orchestra), Meg in Falstaff, Charlotte in Werther (with orchestra) (all RWCMD), and Hansel (Opera’r Ddraig).

Grace’s oratorio performances include: Handel Messiah, Haydn Stabat Mater, Mozart Regina Coeli KV 267, Rutter Feel the Spirit, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Coronation Mass, Britten Ceremony of Carols, Vivaldi Gloria and Magnificat and Pergolesi Stabat Mater.

Grace was a finalist in Ljuba Welitsch International Vocal Compeition 2017, Les Azuriales competition 2016, semi-finalist in The Mozart Competition 2013, a finalist in The Thelma King Award 2013 and 2014, and she was chosen to compete in the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Bursary Award in 2009. Additional engagements include: Prince Charmant in Cendrillon (Fife Opera) and Chorus in Edgar (Scottish Opera).

How the Award Helped

In 2018, Grace was chosen to participate in the residential Song Masterclass with Malcolm Martineau at Crear Space to Create. Her Dewar Arts Award enabled her to take up this opportunity.

Grace writes; “The masterclasses have truly been a turning point for me, as they gave me a safe environment to explore and discover different repertoire whilst finding new confidence in myself and in what I have to offer as an artist.”

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"I am so very thankful for my Dewar Award. It would have been impossible for me to participate in the masterclasses without financial help and I'm incredibly grateful for the generous support that I have received."

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