2006 Awardee: Karen Cargill

The Dewar Arts Awards are a wonderful source of support for young Scottish artists, enabling them to continue their development. I'm incredibly grateful to the Dewar Awards for their help in my preparation for this next step in my career.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 30
ARTFORMS: , ,
WEBSITE:https://www.karencargill.co.uk
 
 

Biography

Born and brought up in Arbroath, Karen trained at the RSAMD, Glasgow, Toronto and the National Opera Studio, London.

A joint winner in 2002 of the Kathleen Ferrier Award – possibly the most prestigious vocal award in the UK – Karen has become established as a top British mezzo-soprano and is one of the most distinguished young Scottish artists of recent years. Her voice is described as one of “extraordinary beauty and power”.

At the start of her professional career, Karen has already performed at top national and international venues with some of the leading orchestras in the UK and Europe, including the 2005 Last Night of the Proms as the soloist in The Rio Grande.

She is a much sought-after recital artist and soloist in Romantic orchestral works, where she is prized for her special combination of power and sensitivity. Karen is heard regularly on BBC Radio 3.

Karen enjoys a close relationship with Scottish Opera where she performed the leading role of Rosina in their 2007 production of the Barber of Seville.  For more information see www.karencargill.co.uk and www.maxinerobertson.com, her agent.

How the Award Helped

Karen performed the leading role of Rosina in the Scottish Opera’s 2007 production of the Barber of Seville. It is recognised that Rossini operas require specialist preparation in both vocal and language coaching.

The Dewar Arts Award helped finance Karen’s coaching with teachers of international reputation.

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The Dewar Arts Awards are a wonderful source of support for young Scottish artists, enabling them to continue their development. I'm incredibly grateful to the Dewar Awards for their help in my preparation for this next step in my career.

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2006 Awardee: Kathleen Boyle

I am delighted and honoured to receive the award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Kathleen Boyle, born and brought up in Castlemilk, Glasgow, comes from a long line of musicians originally from Donegal. She and her three siblings all learned to play Irish traditional music from their father.

With the help of a scholarship, Kathleen was able to go on to study Scottish traditional music at RSAMD, where she had her first formal accordion and piano lessons. Kathleen was the only person in her school year to attend university.

Kathleen, 27, now works as a freelance musician and plays with the band Dochas, which was the winner of the best newcomer award at the 2005 Scottish traditional music awards. More recently Kathleen has played with the band Cherish the Ladies, based in the US. Kathleen is current Scottish and British accordion, piano and piano accompaniment champion in traditional Irish music. She is also a tutor at RSAMD and co-ordinates their YouthWorks programme.

Kathleen’s ambition is to produce a solo CD of Scottish and Irish traditional music, bringing together the two main musical influences in her life. The album will include some of her own compositions as well as other contemporary music and traditional songs. Throughout the years many songs and tunes have been handed down through the five generations of musicians in her family, many of which have never been recorded. One is the famous tune ‘The Moving Cloud’ which was composed by her grandfather and is still often played by traditional musicians.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will provide the funding to record and produce Kathleen’s first solo CD.

Since the Award

After finishing the recording of her CD, Kathleen writes, “A personal highlight of the project was visiting Donegal to record track 11 “The Moving Clouds”. This tune was composed by my late grandfather Neillidh Boyle. We used the original archival recording of Neillidh Boyle playing the fiddle and recorded an accordion and piano part with myself and my father respectively. The recording was conducted in my father’s house in Cronashallog, Dungloe and when we were there we realised that the original recording was made in the exact same place 54 years earlier. My grandfather died in 1961 and so I never had the chance to meet him. On listening back to the track we heard for the first time ever the three generations playing together.”

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I am delighted and honoured to receive the award.

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2006 Awardee: Kayley Donnelly

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 11
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Kayley started playing the violin when she was 9 years old at her primary school in Springburn where she lives. It was soon apparent that she had a special musical gift which should be nurtured.

At the recommendation of her violin tutor, Kayley auditioned for the music school of Douglas Academy and “against the odds”, as her mother writes, won a coveted place to study music.

Studying at Douglas Academy will mean living away from home for a few nights per week, but Kayley is undaunted as “she loves her music and is excited about the opportunity.”

Kayley’s music teachers say that she has a natural talent for music far beyond any of the other pupils. She is able to capture the mood of the pieces she plays and is quick to pick up any new concepts taught and incorporate them into her playing.

How the Award Helped

It is for young musicians like Kayley that the so-called “Daughter of Dewar” Awards were instituted. The Dewar Arts Award contributed towards the purchase of Kayley’s first violin.

At the moment, who knows how far Kayley’s natural-born talent will take her. But giving her the opportunity to develop it and to discover the joys of making music is also part of the ethos of the Dewar Arts Awards. It is to encourage young people of exceptional ability for their age to become the best that they can be and contribute to the cultural life of Scotland.

Since the Award

Kayley writes, “It has been great having my own violin and I adore playing.  My playing and technique have improved greatly.” Kayley plays in the school Chamber Orchestra and their second orchestra and has been asked to play solo at another school’s event.

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2006 Awardee: Kirsty MacKinnon

I thank the trustees … most sincerely. The clàrsach is essential for my studies in Scottish Traditional Music.

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

Biography

Kirsty MacKinnon has lived all her life on the beautiful Isle of Mull. Her family has a long tradition in Gaelic music, especially singing. She has been involved in many arts projects run by An Tobar in Tobermory over the years.

Now eighteen year old, Kirsty is about to leave Mull and embark on a degree in traditional music at RSAMD, specialising in the clàrsach and Gaelic singing.

Kirsty is already an experienced performer, having appeared in concerts and ceilidhs as a soloist and as part of ensembles and choirs. She also performed as lead singer with the Tobermory rock band Speechless, writing some of the lyrics and melodies for their singles. Kirsty is also a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing piano and guitar as well as clàrsach.

Kirsty is a skilled performer in many different musical genres, as well as being a talented songwriter with experience in producing. A successful career in music is a given; Kirsty is spoilt for choice as to which direction she will go in.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award contributed towards buying Kirsty’s first good quality clàrsach.

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I thank the trustees … most sincerely. The clàrsach is essential for my studies in Scottish Traditional Music.

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2006 Awardee: Laura Aldridge

I am extremely grateful for this incredibly generous offer. This award will make an enormous difference to my practice as an artist.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Laura Aldridge, from London, is a graduate of Wimbledon School of Art where she studied painting. She moved to Scotland to pursue a Master of Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art and has now made Glasgow her base where she believes that, as an artist, her work can flourish in a supportive environment.

On the strength of her final degree show at Tramway, Laura was awarded the Glasgow Sculpture Studios Graduate Scholarship, an annual award given to one graduating student. This provides valuable studio space to enable Laura to prepare for her first solo exhibition in Glasgow in 2007.

Laura has already exhibited in Glasgow, London, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv and Denmark. Throughout her studies, Laura has developed a unique and distinctive ‘voice’ through her work. It has immediacy and vibrancy, but its apparent simplicity and air of innocent fun are deceptive. Dig a little deeper and one can see in Laura’s sculptures, allegories of social structures and hierarchies.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will provide funding for research time and materials towards Laura’s first solo exhibition in the UK.

Since the Award

Laura writes “I believe that your support has afforded the space and time to make the most of this research and development period. It has meant that I have been able to realise a strong and confident body of work for my solo exhibition at Glasgow Sculpture Studios.”

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I am extremely grateful for this incredibly generous offer. This award will make an enormous difference to my practice as an artist.

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2006 Awardee: Laura McKinlay

I am delighted and privileged to accept this Award

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From the age of seven, Laura’s driving ambition has been to become a professional musician.
Currently a student at the RSAMD, Laura has already distinguished herself by playing with two of Scotland’s youth orchestras, the National Youth Orchestra and the National Youth String Orchestra.

She has also been leader of the Repertoire orchestra of NYOS, her Local Council orchestra and School orchestra.
Amongst the prizes and awards she has already won are the Bach class at the Glasgow Music Festival and a bursary to attend the European Youth Summer Music Course in Hertfordshire.

In common with a lot of the young musicians at the RSAMD, Laura has a keen interest in Scottish traditional music and plays in a ceilidh band.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards bought Laura a performance quality violin.

Since the Award

After trying several violins, Laura eventually decided on a Chinese violin made in 2005. As its first owner, she has enjoyed breaking it in and notices that it continues to grow in its capabilities and tone.  She writes, “My new violin is capable of much more advanced techniques than my old one .. and because of this, my musical understanding also progresses further.”

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I am delighted and privileged to accept this Award

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2006 Awardee: Lee Borwick

I am overjoyed at the news of my award from the Dewar Art Awards, so generous and kind.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.leeborthwick.co.uk
 
 

Biography

Originally from Galashiels, Lee Borthwick graduated with a first-class honours from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. She received the John Grays Legacy while an undergraduate and was also nominated by Gray’s for the BP Prize.

While an undergraduate Lee took part in an exchange scheme and spent some time in Finland, which had a significant influence on her creative work. She was intrigued by the empty landscapes, wild nature, icy colours and abandoned wooden houses and developed a range of fabrics exploring the surface of wood and markings created by nature.

Lee, like many people of her generation, is concerned about the environment and interested in using eco-friendly, sustainable textiles.

After graduating, Lee won a place on the highly competitive Masters course in Constructed Textiles at the Royal College of Art in London. Lee’s outstanding talent and intellect approach to textile design will no doubt take her far both nationally and internationally.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award provides crucial financial support to Lee while studying at the RCA, London.

Lee’s funding has been continued for a further year into 2007. She writes, “I always aimed to keep my personal voice amongst so many testing projects. Through this … I was nominated to be one of the exhibitors as part of the ‘Out of the Blue’ exhibition this summer. I was selected as one of 23 students out of 90 who applied.”

Since the Award

Lee graduated with an MA in Constructed Textiles after a year which she describes as being ‘the most exciting, challenging and inspiring year of my life so far.’ Sustainability and the environment are key issues in Lee’s practice.  A collaborative project with a fellow student in Printed Textiles was shortlisted by Valpak, the leading provider of recycling solutions for the UK.

During her final year, Lee was awarded the John Dunsmore Scholarship, giving her the opportunity to visit Nepal to work with a community of weavers. She plans to help them develop products such as bags and clothing for the local market. Her final degree collection of work was shown in the Modern and Contemporary Art and Design Auction, arranged by auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull.

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I am overjoyed at the news of my award from the Dewar Art Awards, so generous and kind.

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2006 Awardee: Lesley-Ann Smith

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

Biography

Hailing from Prestwick in Ayrshire, Lesley-Ann Smith is a talented double-bassist. A graduate of RSAMD, she is currently pursuing postgraduate studies also at RSAMD.

As a youngster, Lesley-Ann was a member of the main youth orchestras of the UK, Scotland and also of NYOS’s Camerata. While an undergraduate she distinguished herself by winning the Eugene Cruft prize for Double Bass in 2004 and 2006.

Lesley-Ann’s ambition is to become a professional musician. Already she regularly plays with the main Scottish orchestras on a freelance basis, and in 2006 she participated successfully in the Side by Side project with the Scottish Opera.

To help her professional development, she now needs an instrument to match her standard of play.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award contributed towards the purchase of a double bass.

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2006 Awardee: Linsey McDonald

I would like to thank the trustees for their very generous award. I am looking forward to starting my course in January 2007.

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

Biography

Linsey MacDonald, from Lundin Links, Fife, started playing trumpet when she was 11. She quickly demonstrated musical potential above her peers. She was first a pupil at the RSAMD junior school and then progressed to study for a degree in music also at RSAMD.

From an early age she loved playing jazz and during high school played with the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra. She joined the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra when it was founded in 2002, playing lead trumpet. She joined the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra the same year, playing third and fourth trumpet. With her own jazz octet The Hemato she performed at the Glasgow Jazz Festival in 2006.

Tommy Smith considers Linsey to be an amazing young musician, with great potential. He is impressed both by her fantastic improvisational skills as a performer and her maturity as a composer.

There are very few top line female jazz trumpeters, and even fewer lead female trumpeters in the UK. Linsey has both the technique and artistic potential to become one of the very finest lead trumpeters in the UK.

Linsey was offered a scholarship to study jazz trumpet at the renowned ‘mecca’ of jazz, Berklee College of Music, Boston, where most of the world’s jazz greats have studies. But without additional support she would not have been able to take up the offer.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award has provided funding to enable Linsey to study for a 2-year Diploma in jazz trumpet at Berklee.

Since the Award

Linsey’s first year at Berklee was very exciting. She played in all three of the Berklee Big Bands, with a 10-piece all-women ensemble consisting of music students from all over the world, with the Berklee Rainbow Band in front of a crowd of 10,000 and with The Berklee Baseball Samurai at the opening of the baseball play-offs, which is a great honour in America.

With the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra, which focuses on contemporary repertoire, Linsey performed with Maria Shneider, considered to be one of the most influential female jazz composers/performers on the New York scene today.

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I would like to thank the trustees for their very generous award. I am looking forward to starting my course in January 2007.

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2006 Awardee: Lorna Geller

YEAR OF AWARD: 2006
AGE AT AWARD: 23
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

At the age of 18, Lorna Geller left Irvine, where she grew up, first to study for a music degree at Oxford and later to pursue postgraduate study in violin performance at the Guildhall School of Music in London.

Lorna is one of several awardees who started her musical education at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh. While she was a student of David Takeno’s in London, he encouraged her passion for solo and chamber music playing. During that time, Lorna was playing on a wonderful Degani violin on long-term loan.

Now 23, Lorna’s musical CV is impressive. Winner of many prizes and awards, including the 2005 Waddell Memorial Prize for Scottish String Players, Lorna has played with several leading chamber orchestras and appeared as soloist with the Ariette Ensemble, the Oxford Sinfionetta and the Edinburgh Festival Concerto Orchestra.

Lorna also took part in a Cultural Exchange Programme in the Gambia studying West African tribal culture and musical traditions which led to a collaborative project and exhibition in both the Gambia and London.

Lorna is both a talented and dedicated musician who is still improving and developing. She has an opportunity to buy the Degani violin she has been playing for many years.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award provided the balance of the funds required to purchase the instrument.

Since the Award

After completing her studies at the Guildhall, Lorna went on to pursue a career as a violinist, including work with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists and in 2012 as a trialing sub-principal of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

After 10 diverse and busy years in London, she moved back to Scotland in 2013 to work with the Sistema Scotland charity, and holds the post of Senior Musician at Big Noise Govanhill in Glasgow.

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