2014 Awardee: Donald Robinson

To be invited by Professor Baillie to study with him in Bremen is a wonderful opportunity for me and I am so grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for making it possible.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Glaswegian cellist Donald Robinson is one of Scotland’s most gifted young musicians.  His extraordinary talent and and unique creativity extends to both his playing and his composition.

Donald studied at the Douglas Music Academy and has won prizes in the Glasgow Music Festival for solo, chamber and orchestral work.  As the Principal Cello in the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, he took part in projects with NYOS Futures and NYOS Camerata as well as collaborations with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at the Proms.

In 2013, Donald made his concerto debut at the Perth Concert Hall playing the Saint-Saens Piano Concerto with the NYOS Juniors. He has also performed as part of the Sphere Concert Series in Glasgow with pianist Julia Lynch (see below).

Donald is tipped to become one of his generation’s most important musical ambassadors.

How the Award Helped

Donald’s Dewar Award enabled him to attend the Hochschule fur Kunste in Bremen where he was offered a place to study with the eminent cellist Alexander Baillie.

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To be invited by Professor Baillie to study with him in Bremen is a wonderful opportunity for me and I am so grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for making it possible.

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2014 Awardee: Jamie Kane

"The opportunity to take part in the programme at Rupert allowed me the time, space and support to realise a large body of new work, and marks a major development in my practice. I would not have been able to have this experience without the support of the Dewar Arts Awards."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS:
WEBSITE:https://www.jamiekane.berta.me/
 
 

Biography

Born in Inverness, artist Jamie Kane moved to Glasgow in 2008.  After studying at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, he went on to gain a degree from the GSA’s Department of Sculpture & Environmental Art.

During his time in Glasgow, Jamie exhibited at the Glasgow Project Rooms, Transmission, Universal Studios, and at the Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik in Berlin.  In 2013 he was selected for a graduate residency at Hospitalfield House and in 2014 acted as a committee member for the Pipe Factory.

An extremely talented and motivated artist, Jamie has demonstrated clear ambition to engage in his professional development.

In 2014, he succesfully underwent a rigorous selection process and was offered a place on the Alternative Educational Programme at Rupert Arts & Education Centre, Lithuania. This dynamic centre provides the opportunity for young artists to pursue their self-directed practice, but with mentoring and support from an impressive selection of international artists, curators and critics working at the highest level.

https://vimeo.com/jamiekane

How the Award Helped

Jamie received a Dewar Arts Award to support him in developing his practice at the Rupert Arts & Education Centre.

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"The opportunity to take part in the programme at Rupert allowed me the time, space and support to realise a large body of new work, and marks a major development in my practice. I would not have been able to have this experience without the support of the Dewar Arts Awards."

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2014 Awardee: Jamie O’Rourke

"The Dewar Arts Award has helped me with financial constraints which otherwise may have prevented me from entering into study and enjoying all the benefits that entails."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.jamieorourke.net/
EMAIL:jamieorourke@live.co.uk
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/jamieborourke

Biography

Born in Falkirk, Jamie took an interest in theatre and performing arts from a young age.   He began in amateur theatre and moved up the ranks to assistant director before working with local companies.  At the age of 18 he founded his own company, Project Theatre, and took on the roles of Artistic Director, Producer and Productions Director.

Jamie has acted as Secretary of the Falkirk District Arts and Civic Council and has won a number of awards for services to drama and young people, including the Young Scot Award, Falkirk Civic Award and the Young Personality of the Year Award.  He has worked as a voluntary manager of local heritage ghost walks and is a founder of Scottish Community Arts – an organisation that works to promote and provide publicity for amateur and community organisations across Scotland.

In 2014, Jamie was accepted onto the BA Contemporary Performance Practice course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  This enabled him to continue his studies and develop the skills necessary to achieve his ambitions as an arts professional.

How the Award Helped

Jamie received a Dewar Arts Award to support his studies at the RCS.

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"The Dewar Arts Award has helped me with financial constraints which otherwise may have prevented me from entering into study and enjoying all the benefits that entails."

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2014 Awardee: Chloe McClean

My passion for highland dance is not only with the actual performance but also in its rich history. When I look into my future I cannot imagine a life without dance.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 14
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from Edinburgh, Chloe is an ambitious and dedicated highland dancer.  Her exceptional talent and natural ability has earned her many championship titles including United Kingdom Champion (two years running), East of Scotland Champion (three times), West of Scotland Champion, North of Scotland Champion and All England Champion.  In 2013, she was the only Scottish dancer from her age division to qualify for the Word Highland Dancing Championships, putting her in the top 20 dancers aged under 16 in the world.

Chloe has a passion for the origins of highland dance, and the associated legends and stories. She hopes to one day establish her own dance school and instill the passion and pride she has for the heritage of highland dance in future generations of dancers.

How the Award Helped

Chloe’s award enabled her to continue training and competing in traditional Scottish dance.

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My passion for highland dance is not only with the actual performance but also in its rich history. When I look into my future I cannot imagine a life without dance.

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2014 Awardee: Peter Keenan

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.peterkeenan.co.uk/
 
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/peter_keenan

Biography

Having lived in Scotland since he was two years old, Peter studied composition at St Mary’s Music School before reading music at the University of York, It was during his time at York that he had his first conducting opportunities. In his final year, Peter was Music Director of the University of York Opera Society, with whom he conducted a staged production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Peter has studied with William Conway and Garry Walker, and has attended courses with Peter Stark. In recent years he has focused his conducting activities towards opera, and has acted as Assistant Music Director to William Conway with Edinburgh Studio Opera. He has worked on Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (2014) and The Magic Flute (2015), and looks forward to returning for Bizet’s Carmen in 2016.

In 2014 Peter founded Opera dei Lumi, who gave their company debut with Mozart’s Così fan tutte to great acclaim. They have since received commendation for concert performances of Le Nozze di Figaro in Berwick Festival Opera and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

How the Award Helped

Peter’s Dewar Award enabled him to explore his fascination with Mozart’s operas, by undertaking a research degree at the University of Glasgow.

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2014 Awardee: Rory Alexander Stewart

The Dewar Arts Award has given me the chance to pursue my passion of directing film and TV at one of the best institutions in the world, allowing me the chance to work with great new talent in all roles of filmmaking as well as to develop my own talent further.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2014
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://rorystewartfilms.co.uk/
 
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/roryastewart

Biography

Rory Alexander Stewart is an award-winning writer and film director. Born and raised in Scotland, his visual flair, calm and focused approach, and passion for storytelling allow him to excel in his chosen field.

In 2013 Rory won a BAFTA New Talent Writer Award for ‘Liar’; a film developed with Rankin Film Productions and The
Bureau’s Collabor8te scheme. In 2014 he was awarded the doc prizes at the Smalls Film Festival and London Short Film Festival for ‘The Port’. The same year saw him premiere his film ‘WYLD’ at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, as well as delivering nineteen shorts in collaboration with the National Theatre of Scotland and winning The Skinny/Innis & Gunn Short Film Competition for his no-budget short ‘Good Girl’.

In 2015 he completed ‘Misery Guts’, a short improvised comedy, which was nominated for the Channel 4 Award for Innovation in Storytelling. He then gained a place to study on a Directing Fiction course at the prestigious National Film and Television School, offering the perfect opportunity to progress his career on a full-time basis.

How the Award Helped

Rory’s Dewar Arts Award supported his studies at the National Film and Television School, enabling him to fully develop his burgeoning career.

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The Dewar Arts Award has given me the chance to pursue my passion of directing film and TV at one of the best institutions in the world, allowing me the chance to work with great new talent in all roles of filmmaking as well as to develop my own talent further.

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2013 Awardee: Katherine Bryer

The level of enjoyment and satisfaction I gain from solo and enemble playing constantly affirms my belief that being a performing musician is the right career path for me

YEAR OF AWARD: 2013
AGE AT AWARD: 19
ARTFORMS: ,
 
EMAIL:kcobryer@gmail.com
 

Biography

Katherine studied oboe as a boarder at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh.  She was described as an exceptional pupil and a particularly talented musician.  She performed as a soloist and as part of a chamber ensemble, picking up a number of prizes and awards along the way.  A standout opportunity was performing as a finalist of the Edinburgh Competition Festival’s Concerto Class at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

Katherine achieved a distinction in her grade 8 oboe, and also gained a highly sought after place in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.  She achieves a great deal of satisfaction from performing and this drives her to pursue a career as a professional musician.

As a next step on this path, Katherine was offered a place to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London.  This provided an excellent opportunity to further develop her skills,

How the Award Helped

Katherine’s Award supported her in her studies at the RAM, allowing her to pursue her ambition of becoming a professional musician.

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The level of enjoyment and satisfaction I gain from solo and enemble playing constantly affirms my belief that being a performing musician is the right career path for me

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2013 Awardee: Hazel McBain

I feel that this course will really give me the opportunity to explore my boundaries as a performer and make me ready to enter into the profession

YEAR OF AWARD: 2013
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hazel was born and raised in Glasgow.  A skilled opera singer with excellent technique as well as acting ability, Hazel studied at the Royal College of Music in London before returning to Scotland to study at the Royal Conservatoire.  She graduated with a first class honours and continued her studies with a masters in performance.

Hazel was chosen to represent the Conservatoire in the Maggie Teyte/Miriam Lycette competition, and successfully auditioned for the MBF awards.  Her instinctive creativity earned her roles in productions with the RCS and the Scottish Opera.  Through hard work and dedication she went on to earn a place on the MMus in Opera at the RCS.

The journey to becoming an opera singer is a long one, and the MMus offered Hazel the training she needed to prepare herself for professional performance. The course provided the opportunity to develop her skills as a performer and also as a teacher.

How the Award Helped

Hazel received a Dewar Award to support her studies on the MMus at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

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I feel that this course will really give me the opportunity to explore my boundaries as a performer and make me ready to enter into the profession

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2013 Awardee: Neil Birse

This opportunity is what I have dreamed of doing for many years. I can scarcely believe I have been so fortunate.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2013
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Neil is an especially talented musician who plays a range of instruments and excels as a pianist.  He has an advanced awareness of style, melody and harmony as well as excellent phrasing and interpretation.

Hailing from Aberdeen, Neil pursued his musical interests alongside his general schooling, performing often with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland (NYJOS).  He achieved a distinction in grade 8 drumkit as well as shining at his principal instrument, the piano.

After taking a few years out of study and concentrating on performances and touring with the NYJOS, Neil’s talents earned him a place on the prestigious bachelors degree course at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.  This provided a dream opportunity for Neil, whose is dedicated to achieving a career in music.

How the Award Helped

Neil’s Award supported him in his studies at the Guildhall School.

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This opportunity is what I have dreamed of doing for many years. I can scarcely believe I have been so fortunate.

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2013 Awardee: Hannah Rankin

As well working in education and chamber music, one of my other ambitions is to play in an opera orchestra as I find this to be some of the most magical and exciting music for bassoon!

YEAR OF AWARD: 2013
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hannah grew up on a farm on the west coast of Scotland, before moving to Glasgow to study music at the Conservatoire.  A passionate bassoon player, Hannah took every opportunity whilst in Glasgow to play in symphony, chamber and opera orchestras. She went on to gain a coveted place on a masters course at the Royal Academy of Music.

Hannah’s main passion is opera, and she has worked with the Scottish Opera on a production of The Cunning Little Vixen.  She has also developed a strong aptitude for teaching and has been involved in education projects in Scotland and in England, with the English Touring Opera and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.  Hannah also completed a summer of teaching in the the Himalayas, Northern India, for the charity Kinship.

Whilst in the first year of her masters studies, Hannah suffered a family bereavement.  This made the second year a challenging time for her personally and financially.  In spite of this, Hannah remained dedicated to her studies and her education projects, and continued to flourish as a musician.

How the Award Helped

Hannah received a Dewar Award to support her second year of masters studies at the Royal Academy of Music, anabling her to continue learning at the highest level whilst contributing to the education of others.

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As well working in education and chamber music, one of my other ambitions is to play in an opera orchestra as I find this to be some of the most magical and exciting music for bassoon!

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