2008 Awardee: Kate McDermott

I am very grateful for this award which I know will be invaluable towards my future career as an orchestral musician.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from Lanark, Kate received her first degree studying clarinet at the Royal College of Music in London. In her final year, she received the Edward and Helen Hague Senior Woodwind First Prize and then returned to Glasgow to pursue a Master of Music at the RSAMD as a student of Yann Ghiro.

While at RCM, Kate added the E flat clarinet to her repertoire. After her move to RSAMD, she began to learn the bass clarinet, knowing that this would increase her chances of employment with the top orchestras, but could not afford the cost of a new instrument.

Kate has freelanced with many British orchestras, such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and was chosen to play in Scottish Opera with the RSAMD apprenticeship scheme. Subsequently, she was on trial as principal clarinet with the Varmlandsoperan in Karlstad, Sweden. Kate is a bass clarinettist of extremely high calibre who produces performances which exude class.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has helped Kate buy a professional bass clarinet to help her with her future career.

Since the Award

Subsequently, Kate writes that having a bass clarinet has played a large part in helping her gain trials with a number of leading orchestras and she doubts whether she would have applied for some orchestral jobs if she didn’t have her own bass clarinet.  Currently, Kate is on trial with one European and four UK orchestras and is a member of the clarinet quartet Acentejo Quartet.

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I am very grateful for this award which I know will be invaluable towards my future career as an orchestral musician.

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2008 Awardee: Laura Kelly

I feel I have been on a long journey from the beginning of my studies through to the present day and am so proud to receive the opportunity to study at the Royal Academy of Music…. without the support from the Dewar Arts Awards the continuation of my studies wouldn’t be possible.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

When she was seven Laura Kelly, from Moodiesburn, joined the Scottish Children’s National Chorus and the National Youth Choir of Scotland. Her passion for singing continued, and she went on to study singing at the RSAMD, graduating with a first class honours and achieving the top grade in her BMus final examination.

Laura possesses an attractive mezzo soprano voice with a distinctive timbre. Past awards include both the Agnes Duncan trophy and the Young Opera Society trophy at the Glasgow Music Festival. While at RSAMD, Laura won the Hugh S Robertson prize and the George McVicar Memorial prize for Scots Song. She took part in a number of the opera school’s productions, performing as mezzo soprano soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Mozart’s Coronation Mass. Laura was selected by the RSAMD to represent them in Japan at the Barakura Flower Show in Tateshina Heights.

Laura won a place at the Royal Academy of Music, London, to continue her studies with Jennifer Dakin and Audrey Hyland. She then progressed to the Master of Music (Opera) course.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help towards the costs for Laura to complete an MMus (Opera) degree at the RAM.

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I feel I have been on a long journey from the beginning of my studies through to the present day and am so proud to receive the opportunity to study at the Royal Academy of Music…. without the support from the Dewar Arts Awards the continuation of my studies wouldn’t be possible.

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2008 Awardee: Laura Sergeant

The ‘cello [I am buying] is one of the nicest I have played …..I am incredibly grateful for this award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 18
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From Larbert, in Stirlingshire, Laura is currently studying ‘cello at the RSAMD, Glasgow. She is a member of the Nova String Quartet which was formed in 2006 by a group of students at the RSAMD. Laura previously attended the RSAMD Junior Academy where she showed outstanding potential as a ‘cellist and was awarded a scholarship.

Laura is a member of the NYOS, where she leads the ‘cello section, and has played with the prestigious Camerata Scotland. She won the Forth Valley arts festival in 2005 and last year won the Rotary International Young Musician award for Central Scotland.

In 2007 she toured Scotland in an apprenticeship scheme with the Scottish Ensemble and Raphael Wallfisch. In 2008 she attends the Singapore National Youth Orchestra Chamber Music Festival.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will contribute towards the purchase of a professional standard ‘cello which Laura needs to support her career as a musician.

Since the Award

Subsequently, Laura wrote to say that after a long time of searching for the right cello, she eventually bought one from one of her tutors.  She writes, “as I progress as a cellist, I am able to find new sounds which were not available on the lower quality instrument I previously owned.” Laura is currently continuing her studies in Bremen with renowned Scottish cellist, Alexander Baillie.

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The ‘cello [I am buying] is one of the nicest I have played …..I am incredibly grateful for this award.

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2008 Awardee: Liam Harley

I am delighted to accept the Dewar Arts Award. I would like to thank everyone involved for allowing me this fantastic opportunity.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 15
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

From a very musical family, where all the members play musical instruments, Liam started to learn music on a penny whistle, quickly graduating to the concert flute. He is now extremely accomplished on both instruments and is the 2008 Scottish flute and whistle champion. He competed in the All Britain Championships playing solo flute and whistle.

When Liam was loaned an old practice set of Uillean Pipes at school, he made remarkable and quick progress on this challenging instrument. A pupil at Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow, Liam is a member of the school’s traditional music group ‘Oran’, playing both flute and the pipes, which has performed at the school’s award ceremonies and other concerts. He says himself that, “playing the pipes is my favourite thing to do and gives me such pleasure.”

Liam is occasionally able to play his tutor’s full set of pipes and has been told that he has the ability to go far. His ambition is indeed to compete in the All Britain and the World Championships in Ireland playing the pipes, but without a good quality set his progress will be seriously hampered.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award enables Liam to purchase a set of Uilleann pipes.

Since the Award

Subsequently, Liam writes that since receiving delivery of his new pipes, he has played at many ceilidhs, school functions and family gatherings.  Currently, he is focussing on final school exams but hopes to compete at the 2010 Glasgow Feis.

His long-term aim is to excel at playing the Uilleann pipes, which he has been told by the experts takes many years of practice.

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I am delighted to accept the Dewar Arts Award. I would like to thank everyone involved for allowing me this fantastic opportunity.

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2006 Awardee: Lisa Norman

I would like to thank the trustees very much for their kind offer. I am looking forward to ... exciting opportunities to play baroque horn.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Lisa, from Hawick, graduated from Edinburgh University with a first-class honours degree in music and the final year dissertation prize.

As an experienced player of the French horn, Lisa developed an interest in the 18th century style of natural horn. She helped set up an ensemble at university whose repertoire includes music from the late baroque music era. In 2007, she performed on a classical horn the double horn concertos and orchestral suites by Telemann with the Edinburgh Philomusica and on natural horn Handel’s Water Music with the Edinburgh Symphony Baroque. For these occasions she was able to borrow instruments.

Lisa plans to continue her researches into the evolution of the hand horn technique. As she says, “There is lively debate amongst horn players and scholars as to the correct playing techniques and I am very excited about the prospect of contributing to our understanding of the subject.” Owning her own baroque horn would help Lisa pursue both her academic interest and to contribute to the musical community in Scotland.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has helped Lisa purchase her own baroque horn.

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I would like to thank the trustees very much for their kind offer. I am looking forward to ... exciting opportunities to play baroque horn.

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2008 Awardee: Maryam Sheran

I am writing to thank the trustees for my Dewar Arts Award. It will help me tremendously, and I am extremely grateful.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Born and brought up in Aberdeenshire, Maryam learnt to play the piano at the age of six and the violin when she was seven. She enjoys playing both classical and traditional music on both instruments, and over the years has won many local competitions in both genres, including the Alex Watters Memorial Award for piano in 2002.

Maryam began studying jazz piano at Strathclyde University, where she gained an honours degree in applied music. She performed a jazz piano piece for her degree recital in 2006, which was considered one of the best recitals of the year. Maryam has always enjoyed piano accompanying and has gone on to study for a postgraduate diploma in piano accompanist at RSAMD in order to develop as an accompanist as well as a solo pianist.

Maryam has a big, natural talent for the piano and a love for music that comes across powerfully in her playing. Her ability to empathise and support will help her to develop the potential that she possesses to become an exceptional accompanist.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help Maryam pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in Piano Accompaniment.

Since the Award

Maryam graduated in 2009 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Accompaniment. She writes that “one area of unexpected development has been the extent of my work with vocalists. I have formed a duo partnership with one particular mezzo-soprano [fellow Dewar Awardee] Jemma Brown, and she has played a very significant part in my development as a vocal accompanist.”  The duo’s recitals are becoming very popular throughout Scotland.  Maryam and Jemma will be performing at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

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I am writing to thank the trustees for my Dewar Arts Award. It will help me tremendously, and I am extremely grateful.

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2008 Awardee: Mhari Baird

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from East Ayrshire, flautist Mharhi is studying music at Glasgow’s, RSAMD. Before that she spent two years at Lews Castle College in Benbecula.

Mharhi is a diverse musician and a natural performer. As well as excelling on the flute, she also plays the guitar and banjo and is developing into a wonderful singer in her native Scots. She has a particular interest in the traditional flute and will be spending four months in Limerick on an exchange programme to study the Irish flute.

She performed at the 2008 Celtic Connections Festival to great acclaim and is a name to look out for in the future.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award enables Mharhi to buy a 6-keyed wooden flute.

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2008 Awardee: Patricia Orr

I am enormously grateful and very proud indeed to have been selected as the recipient of an Award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 29
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Glasgow-born Patricia was educated at Holyrood Secondary School and later at Glasgow University where she studied for a law degree.

She later moved to London to pursue a career in opera. Patricia’s mezzo soprano voice both impressed and excited her tutor for its size and beauty. She is currently on the one-year intensive vocational opera programme at the prestigious National Opera Studio, which is considered to be the main UK launch-pad for great opera careers.

Patricia’s goal is to join one of the major opera companies. Already she has bookings with Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park and the National Opera Studio Showcase.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award is supporting Patricia at the National Opera Studio.

Since the Award

Patricia writes, “My experience at the Opera Studio was overwhelmingly positive. ..The financial support I received with the Dewar [Arts] Awards allowed me to exploit and enjoy the many opportunities afforded by the training course at the Studio through the year without the pressure of constant financial anxiety.”

Patricia is currently singing Second Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute for the English Touring Opera, and in 2010 will be singing in a new production of Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream  at Garsington Opera.

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I am enormously grateful and very proud indeed to have been selected as the recipient of an Award.

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2008 Awardee: Rachel Steele

Thank you for your letter informing me of my award … the news was so wonderful. Please inform the committee that I thank them for their offer.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 16
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Perth born and bred, Rachel began learning the ‘cello on an instrument which belonged to her grandfather. She was a student on the Junior RSAMD programme, studying both ‘cello and clarinet, where she received a number of scholarships, including the Wolfson and the Musicians’ Benevolent.

Rachel attends Perth Academy and is principal ‘cellist in both the Academy and the Perth Youth Orchestras. She also sings with the Fair City Singers and was their instrumental soloist in their summer tour around Italy. She is also a probationer with the renowned local choir, Chansons.

Rachel’s musicianship has developed in the last few years and her Junior RSAMD tutors consider her to be a young musician of enormous potential. Now that she is about to audition to study at a conservatoire, her family had to make the decision to sell the family ‘cello in order to buy a better standard of instrument for Rachel’s professional career.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help to purchase a new good-quality ‘cello.

Since the Award

Rachel subsequently bought a Chinese-made ‘cello with a beautiful sound and which she is delighted with. She continues to lead the Perth Youth Orchestra, reached the final of the Perth Chamber Music Young Player competition and starts her further studies in music in 2010 at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

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Thank you for your letter informing me of my award … the news was so wonderful. Please inform the committee that I thank them for their offer.

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2008 Awardee: Rachel Watson

I am very grateful to you all for this amazing award and I am really looking forward to performing with my very own tenor saxophone.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 18
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Interested in music from a very young age, Rachel initially wanted to learn the flute. That was until she went to hear Russell Cowieson play in a jazz concert. She fell in love with the saxophone immediately, and went on to have lessons with Cowieson for the following six years.

Hailing from Mid-Calder, Rachel first studied at the RSAMD Junior Academy. She later won a place at the RSAMD to study music, impressing with her natural talent combined with strong work ethic.

Rachel is a talented chamber musician and has set up a saxophone quartet. Her ambition is to be a professional musician, ideally playing her beloved jazz.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has helped Rachel buy her own tenor saxophone.

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I am very grateful to you all for this amazing award and I am really looking forward to performing with my very own tenor saxophone.

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