Biography

Christopher Michie is a Glasgow based flautist.

As a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Christopher received tutelage from Ruth Morley as well as taking part in numerous competitions and ensemble projects. He has been a Concerto Finalist and two-time Chamber Recital Finalist. In 2019, Christopher won the prestigious Governor’s Solo Woodwind Recital Prize and later played alongside the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s Wind Soloists.

Christopher gained a position on the Live Music Now Scotland scheme as part of the Clark-Michie flute and harp duo, bringing live music to children with additional support needs and the elderly suffering from dementia. As well as performance, Christopher enjoys teaching and pedagogy, and regularly tutors students of all ages.

Christopher is an advocate and ambassador for fair access in the arts. As a former Transitions student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he believes that music should be open to everyone from all walks of life.

As an artist, Christopher’s ambition is to build a thriving portfolio career of orchestral, chamber and solo playing.

In 2020, Christopher was accepted to study a masters at the prestigious Royal College of Music in London.

How the Award Helped

Biography

Born and brought up in the Scottish Borders, Lily began her musical life there before moving to St. Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh. She went on to study for a BA in Music at the University of Bristol, graduating with first class honours in July 2013.  Lily has been described as a powerful, dignified and sensitive performer who is destined for a truly wonderful career.

While at university, Lily embraced the wide range of musical activities on offer, studying the flute with Sarah Newbold, acting as Principal Flute of the University Symphony and Wind Orchestras, taking part in the New Music Ensemble and running the Music Society’s chamber music programme. During her final year, Lily spent a term at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance on an Erasmus programme.  She explored voice, dance and collaborations between the two.

Alongside her classical studies, Lily also has an interest in folk music, and received a scholarship to take part in the Boxwood Festival in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Lily has also had the opportunity to take part in masterclasses with Ian Clarke, Wissam Boustany, Ruth Morley, Alison Mitchell, Michael Cox, Kate Hill and Samuel Coles.

As a Resident Graduate Assistant and Practice Supervisor at the Purcell School for Young Musicians, Lily was able to nurture her love for teaching, which she hopes to continue alongside performance in her future career.

How the Award Helped

Biography

Hailing from Inverness, Cara is a tenacious and committed individual who excels as a flautist.  A natural player with beautiful tone and well-developed technique, Cara’s talent and dedication have ensured she stands out from the crowd.

After studying at Aberdeen City Music School, Cara went on to enrol at The North East of Scotland Music School.  She was awarded a number of scholarships, which supported her ambitions to develop her skills to the highest level.

In 2013, Cara was offered a place to study at the illustrious Guildhall School of Music in London.  This was the natural next step for Cara, whose ambition is to build a career as a professional flautist and flute teacher.

How the Award Helped

Biography

Mark is an especially talented flute player who is utterly devoted to music.  Demonstrating a flair for performance that is instinctive and natural. Mark has a very advanced level of technique for his age.  He plays expressively, with an intensity and sensitivity that captivates his audiences.

Having grown up in Lanarkshire, Mark studied at the Douglas Academy Music School and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  During his time at the RCS he won the Gilbert Inness Woodwind Competition, performed as a soloist with the West of Scotland Concert Band, and was overall winner at the Glasgow Music Festival two years in a row.

Since then, Mark went on to gain a scholarship to study at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music in London.  He proved himself to be a student with exceptional potential, standing out as a leading talent in a highly competitive environment.

Mark is highly self-motivated and driven, showing a dedication to his studies and real commitment to his instrument.  He is an intelligent, creative and charismatic individual with a great future ahead of him.

How the Award Helped

Since the Award

Mark successfully completed his studies at the Guildhall, receiving exceptional praise for his talent and dedication. In his final report, he told us:

“It is very difficult for me to put into words how thankful I am to have had the support behind me during these four years. When I think of all the times where I thought it was the end of the road I don’t know how I got through it. When I look at my degree it will not only be my great diploma, it will be a reminder for me to stay strong and keep going in times of real struggle. I will look at it in years to come and I will never forget the generous support from my donors and charities that helped me survive and gave me the equipment to make my dreams real.

I hope from what I have written you will see the impact your support has made on my studies and even more importantly my life. I am forever in debt to the Dewar Arts Awards. You do an incredible job for young people like me and I hope one day I can help you make the difference to other young people’s lives. Thank you.”

Additional Award (2015)

After studying in Cologne as an Erasmus student, Mark was offered the exceptional opportunity to undertake a postgraduate course at the Hochshule fur Musik und Tanz, under the tutelage of Robert Winn. Mark received a further award to enable him to continue his studies to masters level in one of Europe’s finest woodwind departments.

Biography

Glasgow-born Taylor is a flautist of immense talent. While still a pupil at St Mary’s Music School he distinguished himself as a performer and won a raft of prestigious prizes, including the 2008 Director’s Recital Prize at St Mary’s, 1st prize for under 19’s from the British Flute Society in 2010, and the Traves Trophy at the Edinburgh Festival Competition.

Taylor is a member of both the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, for whom he is also principal flute, and NYOS and participated as a chamber music performer in the 2009 International Youth Festival in Aberdeen. Described by one teacher as ‘every music teacher’s dream pupil’, Taylor has both raw musical ability and great enthusiasm for making music. As well as being an accomplished soloist, Taylor is considered to be a great chamber and orchestral musician.

Taylor has been accepted into the Royal College of Music in London to study with the head of woodwind, Simon Channing. Taylor writes that he has “a great love for music. I enjoy performing and sharing my passion with others and cannot imagine any career other than music.”

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help towards Taylor’s substantial costs to study in London.

After a successful first year at RCM, Taylor’s award was extended for a second year.

Biography

Fife’s David Smith started to learn the flute when he was 14 and after six month’s of playing decided that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He auditioned for and was accepted by St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh initially to study alto saxophone, but it is his progress on the flute which has been outstanding. In 2008 David won the Wind Finals of the 2008 BBC Young Musician of the Year, progressing to the grand final of that prestigious competition in May 2008.

It is not surprising that his music tutors consider him to be an outstanding talent. During his four years at St Mary’s he distinguished himself on numerous occasions, was awarded scholarships to three British music conservatoires and won a major prize at the British Flute Society Competition.

David has been a member of the NYOS and the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra and has taken part in masterclasses with Jaime Martin, Emmanuel Pahud and Eline van Esch. His career aim is to become a solo and orchestral flautist. He accepted a place at the Royal College of Music.

How the Award Helped

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

Biography

Sarah is a highly talented, multi-instrumentalist with a passion for playing music. She started playing the flute when she was 8 years old and, along with the harp and penny whistle which she also plays, has qualified to British level.

Not content with three instruments, Sarah is currently teaching herself to play the guitar and fiddle. Her ultimate aim is to study music at university and become a professional musician.

It is in the flute that Sarah excels, playing both solo and as part of a band, and she has won many awards in Scottish, British and International competitions.

In 2007, Sarah was part of a group which performed during a visit to Coatbridge of Mary McAleese, President of Ireland. Two years earlier, she had played at a ceremony at Celtic Park with the same group which performed a piece especially composed for the occasion by conductor and composer, James MacMillan.

How the Award Helped