29 August 2023

Awardee News: Rylan Gleave

In Chemical Transit, the debut album from All Men Unto Me, explores Rylan Gleave’s vocal journey from Mezzo-Soprano to Bass-Baritone.

The debut album from All Men Unto Me, a project led by 2021 Dewar Awardee Rylan Gleave, has been released to critical acclaim.

In Chemical Transit explores Rylan’s vocal journey from Mezzo-Soprano to Bass-Baritone and serves as a window intothree moments in his transition: pre-transition, 8 weeks on Testosterone, and 2.5 years on Testosterone. Using historic recordings of Rylan’s voice, In Chemical Transit is a time capsule of voices that will never sound again. The album is underpinned by Cherubino’s aria Voi che sapete from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. The aria’s themes permeate the entirety of the record, with a repeated appeal to know “s’io l’ho nel cor”—“if it is in my heart”—returning multiple times in both Italian and English.

Gleave’s exploration of the operatic material is influenced not only by his classical training, but also his avant-garde metal vocals for band Ashenspire. There are also additional themes drawn from minimalism, church music, post-punk, and drone. His broken voice alternates between strangled falsetto, guttural shrieks, and full-bodied classical baritone, and has been likened to ‘Tilt-era Scott Walker’ by C.M. Queen.

The critical response to the release has been positive, with Echoes and Dust calling the album “a provocative sound capsule for the more open minded music lover” and Noob Heavy calling In Chemical Transit “an utterly singular work, the sort of daring project that sits at the forefront of art in both the musical and sociological sense”.

Rylan’s 2021 Dewar Award supported him through an MMus Degree with Dr. Linda Buckley at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he won the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Composition prize.

A digital edition of the album can be downloaded from Bandcamp. Congratulations Rylan – we can’t wait to see what you do next!

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1 August 2023

Awardee News: Martin Lee Thomson

Congratulations to Dewar Awardee Martin Lee Thomson, whose duo Dopey Monkey have been appointed Chamber Music Scotland’s 2022-24 Ensemble in Residence.

Dopey Monkey have been appointed as Chamber Music Scotland’s 2022-24 Ensemble in Residence. The euphonium and tuba duo were formed in 2015 by Danielle Price and Martin Lee Thomson, a Dewar Awardee in 2017. The duo have since become known for their diverse and innovative new music, which blends jazz, folk, classical, and experimental music influences. They are passionate about showcasing the versatility of their instruments with original performances and cross-arts projects.

A Dewar Awardee in 2017, Martin’s award supported his studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where he studied under tuba soloist Oren Marshall on the BMus Jazz course.

As a duo, Dopey Monkey have been invited guest artists at Gravissimo Festival 2018 and the prestigious International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in Iowa, 2019. They were Dandelion Scotland Musicians in Residence for Findhorn Bay Arts in 2022. They are excited to find ways of further sharing their work, both in Scotland and internationally as CMS’s Ensemble in Residence 2022-24.

Listen to the duo performing in the video below.

Read more about Chamber Music Scotland
Read Martin’s Awardee Profile

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25 July 2023

New Contemporaries 2023

Dewar Awardees Thomas Cameron and Haneen Hadiy among artists selected for the 2023 programme

We’re delighted to see Dewar Awardees Thomas Cameron (2019) and Haneen Hadiy (2022) among the artists selected for New Contemporaries 2023. New Contemporaries celebrates emergent art practice in the UK, supporting contemporary visual artists to successfully transition from education into professional practice.

Running since 1949, the programme has held a vital role in the UK arts scene, introducing audiences to a list of well-known artists that includes David Hockney, Derek Jarman, and Rachel Maclean. This year’s selection includes final year students and recent graduates from arts institutions across the UK, as well as practitioners on alternative peer-to-peer learning programmes.

Thomas Cameron

Born in Helensburgh in 1992, Thomas is a painter with a distinctive poetic vision. He completed a BA in Fine Art at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee in 2014. He received a Dewar Arts Award in 2019, which enabled him to maintain studio space and to create a body of work focusing on the people and places of Glasgow. His work captures the optical pulse of the city and examines the detachment induced by consumerism, as well as pushing back against it. He now works and lives in London, and recently graduated with a MA Fine Art degree from the City and Guilds of London Art School.

Awardee Profile | Website

Haneen Hadiy

Haneen Hadiy was born in Glasgow, Scotland to Iraqi parents in 1999. Hadiy’s visual artistic practice explores her cultural heritage, family history and the reality of belonging between her motherland Iraq and her land of birth Scotland. Her 2022 Dewar Award supported the development and installation of a solo exhibition of her work in Iraq. Her works are known for their distinctive intimacy and integrity, and she continuously experiments through a variety of mediums to explore her family history, cultural heritage, and identity as a diasporic artist.

Awardee Profile | Website

Work by Thomas, Haneen and the other artists selected for the 2023 programme will be featured in an exhibition that will tour to the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool and Camden Art Centre in London. As well as being included in the 2023 Exhibition and Online Platform, these artists will have access to a range of opportunities including mentoring, talks, and workshops through New Contemporaries bespoke Bridget Riley Artists’ Development Programme.

Congratulations to Haneen and Thomas, we can’t wait to see what you do next!

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12 April 2023

Upcoming Performances

Dewar Awardees take to the stage this Spring

There are multiple opportunities to see Dewar Awardees take to the stage this month. Here’s a round-up of upcoming performances by our musical Awardees…

Sean Shibe

Sensational guitarist Sean Shibe will perform as part of the NYOS Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert in Glasgow on Saturday 15th April. A Dewar Awardee in 2008, Sean is now becoming a classical music star, having won multiple Gramophone Awards. In this concert, he will perform the beautiful and striking ‘Susurrus’ by Finnish composer Lotta Wennakoski.

Book tickets: NYOS Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert 2023 

Jenna Reid

A Dewar Awardee in 2007, Jenna Reid has become one of Shetland’s finest fiddlers. She will play alongside Harris Playfair in Hawick this weekend, celebrating the release of their new duo album in what’s sure to be an exhilarating evening of music.

Book tickets: Jenna Reid & Harris Playfair in Hawick

Christina Lawrie

Hailed as a rising star by the magazine International Piano, Scottish pianist Christina Lawrie received a Dewar Award in 2006 and has since built an exciting and varied career as soloist, song pianist and chamber musician. Christina will be performing a solo piano recital as part of SpringFest ‘23 in Inverness on Wednesday 19th April. The full programme is yet to be published, but you can expect to hear music by Bach, Mozart, Louise Farrenc, Gershwin, Chopin and Schumann.

Book tickets: SpringFest ’23: Christina Lawrie

Calum Huggan

Calum Huggan received a Dewar Award in 2011 to support his Masters studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He returns to the RCS on the 8th May for the opening performance of this year’s PLUG festival. A launch pad for new and exploratory music from the RCS, he will perform new music by Ailie Ormston an Eli Morrison with Stephanie Lamprea.

Book tickets: Plug 1: Calum Huggan and Stephanie Lamprea

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27 March 2023

New original soundtrack from Blair Mowat

Dewar Awardee Blair Mowat has composed the music for the new ITV drama ‘Nolly’, created by Russell T. Davies and starring Helena Bonham Carter.

Blair Mowat received a Dewar Arts Award in 2008 to help support his postgraduate studies at Bristol University. He graduated from the university with an MA in Composition for Film and Television and his career has gone from strength to strength since then.

A prolific composer of scores for film, theatre and television, he now has well over two hundred credits. His clients include the BBC, Channel 4, the English National Ballet and Royal Shakespeare Company. Most recently, he has worked on the ITV mini-series Nolly, created by Russell T. Davies and starring Helena Bonham Carter. The soundtrack album is now available to purchase on digital platforms, or you can stream a track below.

Congratulations Blair – we can’t wait to see what you do next!

Read Blair’s Awardee Profile

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1 February 2023

Join our board

Would you like to help support the brightest and best of Scotland’s young artistic talent? We are seeking new trustees to join the Dewar Arts Awards board.

The Dewar Arts Awards are seeking new Trustees, with relevant knowledge and experience, to join our Board and support the brightest and best of Scotland’s young artistic talent. We are a grant making charity that funds exceptional young artists in any discipline who do not have the financial means to achieve their full potential.

You would be joining a Board with a strong mix of governance, creative and social experience which has led to 1,121 young people being awarded over £6m in funding over the last 21 years. As a Trustee you will be expected to enhance our ability to make the right, life changing, decisions for young people and in turn ensure the future of the arts in Scotland and its impact on the rest of the world.

We’re keen to hear from individuals from any art form but are particularly interested in those with experience of theatre, visual arts, literature, craft, and those who work across mediums reflecting new ways of thinking and working.

As essential as your expertise in the arts, is your lived experience of growing up, learning or working in Scotland, which will help us to better understand some of the challenges our young applicants have. As a charity we value legal and compliance, research and evaluation, cultural education, and financial input, as we oversee an asset portfolio that is managed by professional fund managers. If you have a blend of the above, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Trustees meet five times a year in person across Scotland or online when appropriate. Applications are sifted and collated by the charity’s Administrator but there is preparation required in reading the applications so that you can make grant recommendations and take part in discussions about applicants at the meeting. The number of applications range from 12 to 40 per meeting. There are sub groups which you may be asked to join which meet in between Board meetings usually online. This is a voluntary role but expenses will be reimbursed.

To apply please send your CV and covering letter to admin@dewarawards.org for the attention of the chair.

The closing date for applications is Friday 24th February 2023.

For more information on the Dewar Arts Awards, please visit: www.dewarawards.org

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9 January 2023

Dewar Awardees at Celtic Connections 2023

We’re delighted to see that many Dewar Awardees will be appearing at Celtic Connections 2023, which returns for its 30th anniversary edition this month.

The UK’s premier celebration of celtic music, Celtic Connections returns for its 30th anniversary edition this month. Featuring an ambitious and eclectic programme of music from Thursday 19th January until Sunday 5th February 2023, we’re delighted to see that many Dewar Awardees will be appearing at the festival. Here are some of the highlights…

Catriona Price
Fiddler and composer Catriona Price presents her beautiful debut solo album, Hert – a stunning set of tunes inspired by the poetry of her native Orkney. She also performs as part of Fara.

Louis Abbott
Louis Abbott is performing as part of the Roaming Roots Revue, 10th anniversary concert.

Calum MacCrimmon
Calum MacCrimmon is a member of the band Breabach.Fresh from winning Folk Band of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards, Breabach will perform alongside Dervish at January’s festival. 2022 sees the release of their latest album Fàs (meaning growth/sprouting). Heavily inspired by the natural environment of Scotland, the band showcase more progressive elements in their music than ever before.

Duncan Lyall
A Dewar Awardee in 2007, Duncan will play in no less than three concerts during Celtic Connections 2023! The double bassist will play in Phil Cunningham’s band for Beyond the Farther Shore; The Sinners big band with Dean Owens, and a unique and extensive big band brought together for the Celtic Connections 30th Anniversary Concert.

Hamish Napier
Hamish Napier is performing ‘Nae Plans’ with long term collaborator, Adam Sutherland. Taking their inspiration from the spontaneity of traditional music sessions, the two sit down on the stage without knowing what they will play, making for an exciting experience for both listener and performer.

Jenna Reid
One of Shetland’s finest and most accomplished modern-day fiddlers, Jenna Reid will be performing with pianist Harris Playfair, ahead of the release of their long-awaited duo record One Day, due for release in 2023.

Steven Blake
The Annual Pipe Band Concert will feature a performance from piping supergroup Tryst, featuring Steven Blake.

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19 December 2022

Awardee’s short film qualifies for the 2023 Academy Awards

Screenwriter Hannah Kelso’s ‘Night of the Living Dread’ is long-listed for Best Animated Short

Dewar Awardee Hannah Kelso wrote the screenplay for ‘Night of the Living Dread’, a comedy horror that has now been longlisted in the Oscars Best Animated Short category.

Hannah received a Dewar Award in 2018, which helped support her MA Screenwriting studies at the National Film & Television School. Of her Dewar Award, Hannah said: “This industry is highly competitive but I am now in the right place and equipped with the right tools for the future”.

Congratulations Hannah – we can’t wait to see what you do next!

You can watch the trailer for ‘Night of the Living Dread’ below:

 

Read Hannah’s Awardee Profile
Watch Night of the Living Dread

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5 December 2022

Awardee success at the Scots Trad Music Awards

The Scots Trad Music Awards celebrate the scope and scale of Scotland’s traditional music talent, with Dewar Awardees featuring in the winners’ list.

The 20th annual MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards took place at the Caird Hall in Dundee on Sunday 4th December 2022. Organised by Hands Up for Trad, the awards celebrate the scope and scale of Scotland’s traditional music talent, and we were delighted to see Dewar Awardees featured in the winners’ list!

Composer of the Year – Heal and Harrow

The Composers of the Year award went to Rachel Newton and 2006 Dewar Awardee Lauren MacColl for Heal & Harrow, a project inspired by the Scottish witch trials in the 16th and 17th centuries. The project pays a humanising tribute to the women persecuted for witchcraft, exploring historical beliefs in the supernatural and modern day parallels in our society.

Read Lauren MacColl’s Awardee profile here

Folk Band of the Year – Breabach

Formed in 2005, Breabach are now securely ranked among Scotland’s most skilled and imaginative contemporary folk acts. The band features the talents of 2007 Dewar Awardee Calum MacCrimmon on Highland Bagpipe, whistle, bouzouki and vocals. 2022 saw the release of their latest album Fàs, which was heavily inspired by the natural environment of Scotland.

Read Calum MacCrimmon’s Awardee Profile here

Visit the Hands Up for Trad website to view a full list of winners

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4 July 2022

Interview with Sarah Rogers, Rojhe Design

We spoke to jewellery designer and maker Sarah Rogers about how a Dewar Arts Award will support the development of her work.

The Trustees of the Dewar Arts Awards are delighted to announce that we have a new £90,000 fund to support ambitious, talented young people across Scotland who have a passion for traditional rural and craft skills.

Sarah Rogers, a jewellery designer and maker, is the first recipient of an award from this funding stream. We spoke to Sarah to find out more about how her Dewar Arts Award will support her work.

 

To find out more about Sarah’s work, visit her website at www.rojhedesign.com. You can also follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

To find out more about our new funding stream, read the news article here: New funds to support talented young people across Scotland

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Jewellery designer and maker Sarah Rogers working in her studio.
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