2008 Awardee: Fiona Scott

I am very grateful for the generosity of the Dewar Arts Awards towards my studies next year at the RSAMD.

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

Biography

Lancashire-born Fiona started her studies at the RNCM in Manchester. She moved to Scotland in 2006 to pursue postgraduate opera studies at the RSAMD.

Fiona has the rare voice type of a dramatic soprano and has her sights set on specialising in the Germanic repertoire. She is still considered young for her voice type, which needs maturity of voice to develop to its full potential.

Fiona’s tutors describe her voice as ‘thrilling’. In 2008 she received the Wagner Society of Scotland Bayreuth Bursary which funded a study trip to Bayreuth, including attendance at 3 operas. She has had masterclasses with John Tomlinson and Jane Eglen which both demonstrated her potential as a dramatic soprano. She was also awarded the coveted RSAMD Governor’s Prize for Singing. In her first year at RSAMD Fiona sang the role of First Prioress in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award helps Fiona during the final year on the RSAMD opera course.

Since the Award

During the year, Fiona performed in several concerts, participated in a master class with Wagnerian tenor, Ian Storey, and was a semi-finalist in the Bayreuth Wagner Competition. Her roles in RSAMD productions as Fata Morgana in The Love for Three Oranges and the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos were described as ‘a triumph’.

Back

I am very grateful for the generosity of the Dewar Arts Awards towards my studies next year at the RSAMD.

Back

2008 Awardee: Fraser Russell

The Award will greatly help me towards the cost and will allow me to get a far better instrument than I could afford without your assistance.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 19
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Fraser, who hails from Carnoustie, started to play the tuba at the age of 14. He was accepted onto the RSAMD Junior Academy which is designed to encourage young musicians of talent and is now in his second year studying music at the RSAMD proper.

Fraser’s ambition is to be an orchestral player. He has already worked for a number of Scottish and European orchestras, including the NYOS, European Brass Band and most recently with the St Petersburg Ballet orchestra on their recent European tour. He is a recent winner of the RSNO tuba apprenticeship scheme.

The combination of Fraser’s natural talent and self-drive has got him noticed at RSAMD. Whilst still only in his second year, he is frequently chosen to play principal tuba in the RSAMD’s first orchestra and its signature ‘Academy Brass’ ensemble, which has built a considerable reputation throughout Scotland.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has helped Fraser purchase a CC tuba, an expensive but essential part of a tuba player’s equipment.

Since the Award

After getting his new CC tuba, Fraser auditioned for, and won, an apprenticeship with the Scottish Opera, enabling him to sit with the brass section of the orchestra. He was told after his audition that part of his success was due to having the right instrument, that is one which could play the bigger, operatic repertoire. Fraser then moved on to an apprenticeship with the RSNO, confident in the knowledge that he had the right instrument to play the repertoire. This has all contributed to him gaining the confidence in the professional setting.

Back

The Award will greatly help me towards the cost and will allow me to get a far better instrument than I could afford without your assistance.

Back

2006 Awardee: Helen Cuinn

Thank you .. for the award … I’ll look forward to writing the report!

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS:
WEBSITE:https://www.helencuinn.com
 
 

Biography

Dunfermline-based Helen Cuinn trained in Contemporary Theatre Practice at the RSAMD, graduating in 2007. Her interest in drama dates back to the age of 10 when she joined the wonderfully-named drama class ‘Terrifically Adventurous Youth Theatre’. She was spotted then as a potential performance talent.

Helen now uses a whole spectrum of art forms in the work she carries out, including digital/web art, performance poetry, visual arts, Scots song, video art, theatre design, dance/movement, site specific interventions and installation. She has recently completed a Scottish tour of her critically-acclaimed one woman show ‘Hoose and Hame’ on the theme of home and identity. In this show, Helen demonstrates her impressive talents as writer and performer who has a very clear idea of what she is conveying.

Helen was invited to create a new work-in-progress for the 2008 Arches Live Festival, which showcases experimental theatre, live art and hybrid performance forms. As well as winning a Dewar Arts Award, Helen has been selected for two creative residencies at CCA and DanceHouse where she will develop this material for eventual solo performance of ‘The Hair of my Head is Dead’. For more information about Helen’s work, see www.helencuinn.com.

How the Award Helped

The award was given to help with the staging of Helen’s new play ‘The Hair on My Head is Dead’.

Since the Award

The award funded Helen to develop her ideas, including having a wig made of her own hair, and create a performance ‘Hair I Am’ which was shown at the 2009 Glasgay Festival as an invited artist. Since then, Helen has won other support and an award for the Best Marketing Campaign. She continues to work in, and contribute to, the vibrant arts scene in Glasgow.

Back

Thank you .. for the award … I’ll look forward to writing the report!

Back

2008 Awardee: Jack Fawcett

It is a fantastic opportunity to be offered a place to study percussion at the Royal College in London and this award is going to make that possible.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Jack started playing percussion at the age of 15 and made remarkable progress in a short space of time. For the last two years of his schooling, he studied percussion at the Aberdeen City Music School where he had a master class with Evelyn Glennie.

At the age of 16, Jack joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, which is a rare distinction. In 2008 he performed with NYO in the Roundhouse, London, Leeds Town Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, the Sage Gateshead, Snape Maltings and the London Barbican under Vasily Petrenko. He also played at the Royal Albert Hall under Anatoly Papanov as part of the BBC Proms.

Jack is also a member of the Aberdeen Youth Orchestra, the Grampian Youth Orchestra and the Aberdeen Sinfonietta. In 2008 he won the 18 and under percussion and snare drum classes in the North East of Scotland Music Festival and was runner up in the Ishoka Young Musician of the Year competition.

Jack’s ambition is to become a solo percussionist.  His teachers feel that he has the winning combination of huge talent and hard work to get him to the top of his profession.

How the Award Helped

Jack was offered a place to study percussion by a number of UK Conservatoires and chose to take up a place at the Royal College of Music in London. The Dewar Arts Award will help to cover the substantial expenses to study in London. His award has been extended for a second year, and subsequently for a third.

Since the Award

After a successful third year, Jack’s support has been extended into his final year.  His most exciting achievement last year was winning the extensive (worldwide) audition process to perform timpani in the latest Lexus car advertisement featuring Kylie Minogue. He doesn’t say whether he met the singer, but he did get the chance to work with some of the greatest drummers in the world, including The Taiko Drummers of Japan and Cold Steel Drum Line from North Carolina amongst many others.

Back

It is a fantastic opportunity to be offered a place to study percussion at the Royal College in London and this award is going to make that possible.

Back

2008 Awardee: Jack Henry

I would again like to thank you for my award, allowing me to progress and develop fully into a classical dancer.

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

Biography

Glasgow-based Jack started  learning to dance at a dance school in Renfrewshire. During his time there he was selected for both the Scottish Ballet’s Junior Associates Scheme and the Royal Ballet School’s Mid-Associate Scheme, showing his early promise.

Jack progressed to the Dance School of Scotland in Knightswood, where he continued to develop his natural aptitude and physical potential for classical ballet. He shone amongst his peers, progressing well through the RAD examinations. When he started training in contemporary dance Jack continued to show his aptitude and potential for other dance disciplines, scoring consistently high marks. During his school years Jack would regularly leave home at 7.30 in the morning and often not return before 10 pm if rehearsing for a show.

Jack has successfully auditioned for a place at the prestigious Elmhurst School for Dance in Birmingham, which has close links to the Royal Birmingham Ballet. However, Jack has his sights firmly set on joining the Scottish Ballet when he has finished his training. He was successful in being awarded a Dance and Drama Award to help with the costs of his training.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has helped towards the balance of the costs for Jack to train at Elmhurst School of Dance.

Back

I would again like to thank you for my award, allowing me to progress and develop fully into a classical dancer.

Back

2008 Awardee: James Wood

I am delighted to accept this award … it will prove to be of great assistance to my studies.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From Stonehaven, James graduated from Gray’s School of Art in 2007 where he studied painting and drawing.   He has a wonderful natural gift as a visual artist, excelling in painting, drawing and sculpture.

On graduation, James’s ambition was to train and work in 3D computer animation. His gift in traditional drawing techniques will be an enormous advantage in this field of work. James was accepted onto the highly-regarded Masters course at Bournemouth University, which, he writes, is the ‘perfect platform’ from which to launch himself into the competitive arena of film and video game production.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help pay towards the costs of attending this course.

Since the Award

Jamie graduated with distinction in 2009. A film of his final Masters project can be viewed on his website at www.jamiewoodart.com.

He writes, “I still feel the same passionate drive that I had one year ago to pursue a career in this area and I am extremely grateful to the Dewar Awards for the fact that I am now equipped with the skills and experience needed to break into this competitive industry. With the UK in its current position as one of the world leaders in the development of film and computer game digital content, I am now in the position of being able to represent Scotland by initially seeking a 3D artist job here in the UK.”

Back

I am delighted to accept this award … it will prove to be of great assistance to my studies.

Back

2008 Awardee: Jemma McMonagle

Jemma and I were absolutely delighted to receive your letter informing us that [she] has been successful in her application to purchase a harp. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the trustees for making Jemma a very happy girl! (Eileen McMonagle, mother)

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 14
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Fourteen-year-old Jemma from Glasgow got involved in playing traditional music at the age of six.  She demonstrated a fine musicianship from the start  and has the ability to play a number of instruments with stunning sensitivity and maturity for her age.

Jemma is a talented fiddle player, having gained notable competitive success including several All-Britain titles in both solo and group competitions and a coveted All-Ireland gold medal in the Under 12 section. For the past two years, as part of ‘The Southside Fiddlers’ and at the invitation of well-known Irish fiddler, Liz Doherty, Jemma has performed at the Buncrana Festival in Co. Donegal.

It is on the small harp, however, that Jemma shines, her playing has been described as ‘magical’. Within a year of starting to learn the harp, she came second in the Scottish championships which qualified her to represent Scotland in the 2008 Great Britain championships. Since then, Jemma has played at many Celtic and Scottish traditional festivals and concerts, wowing the audiences with her talent.

How the Award Helped

The only barrier to her development is the lack of her own harp. The Dewar Arts Award will enable her to purchase a good-quality instrument.

Back

Jemma and I were absolutely delighted to receive your letter informing us that [she] has been successful in her application to purchase a harp. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the trustees for making Jemma a very happy girl! (Eileen McMonagle, mother)

Back

2008 Awardee: Jon Savage

Without this award it would have been impossible for me to continue training with the Royal Ballet.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS:
 
 
 

Biography

Rutherglen-born Jon started his training in dance at the Dance School of Scotland, where he showed himself to be extremely talented from the start. He decided early on that he wanted to become a professional dancer. During his six years at the Dance School he worked hard to achieve a very high technical standard.

In 2008 Jon achieved the RAD Advanced II vocational graded examination, which is a standard of training attained by only a few male students worldwide. In the same year he auditioned for vocational dance schools in London and was offered places at the English National Ballet School, Central School of Ballet and the Royal Ballet School. Jon accepted the Royal Ballet School which had offered him a place onto the second year.

Jon is a versatile dancer who has the facility to become principal in a classical company. He has an excellent natural physical facility and ideal physique for classical ballet, but is also able to dance a whole range of styles.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help Jon through his two years of study at the Royal Ballet School.

Since the Award

Jon graduated with credit from the Royal Ballet School in 2010 and was offered a place with the Cape Town City Ballet.  Jon writes that the best time of his two years at RBS was when he toured Japan for 11 days with his year group visiting four different cities and dancing both classical and contemporary pieces.  Jon writes that “without your continual support, none of the past two years would have been possible.”

Back

Without this award it would have been impossible for me to continue training with the Royal Ballet.

Back

2008 Awardee: Jonathan Cheyne

I am delighted to accept your offer. Being given this money to buy a set of reel-pipes is a fantastic opportunity for me.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Jonathan, from Bishopbriggs, is the first member of his family to be musical. He learnt to play the Highland bagpipes at the age of 12 and quickly developed a passion to play and perform to the highest standard. He is now studying music at Scotland’s own conservatoire, the RSAMD.

Jonathan has a particular love for, and interest in, traditional music. Last year he won his first solo competition in Skye, and has played at many of the major traditional music concerts, including Celtic Connections and Piping Live. He is a member of the elite National Youth Pipe Band and was the Pipe Sergeant at the Soroptimist Convention in Glasgow.

Last year Jonathan performed with the 98th Highlanders, with Cantara, at an International Celtic Music festival.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will enable Jonathan to buy a set of Fred Morrison reel-pipes which is an essential part of his equipment as a professional piper.

Back

I am delighted to accept your offer. Being given this money to buy a set of reel-pipes is a fantastic opportunity for me.

Back

2008 Awardee: June Naylor

This is such a great contribution to my new harp and I am extremely grateful.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Born in Inverness and brought up on Skye, June learned the harp when she was 12 years old. June spent a year studying at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton before going on to study at Strathclyde University, where she is studying with renowned Celtic harpist Savourna Stevenson.

June is a member of award-winning band ‘Bodega’, winners of the BBC2 Young Folk Award. With the band’s increasing success, they travel extensively internationally to perform, and consequently June’s student-model harp is beginning to look careworn. June is considered to be a real talent and rising star in Traditional Music.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help June purchase a professional model harp with flight case.

Since the Award

After buying a new harp, June went on to study music at the University of Strathclyde where, on graduation, she won the prestigious Alexander Stone Award for excellence. She is a member of the successful five-piece band Bodega, winners of the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award Winners and the 2009 Folk Band of the Year at the Trad Awards. The band tour worldwide and are currently working on their third album.

Back

This is such a great contribution to my new harp and I am extremely grateful.

Back