2019 Awardee: Mari-Anne Green

“Without the incredible support I have had from [the Dewar Awards], I would never have been able to take up my place on my dream course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. I am enjoying and making the most of every moment there and the fact that Dewar have decided to support me inspires me to push to do the best I possibly can with this amazing opportunity.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2019
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.facebook.com/marigreenmusic/
 
TWITTER: https://www.instagram.com/marigreen.music/

Biography

Mari Green is a jazz vocalist from Glasgow, who is influenced by a wide range of artists and styles of music. She fell in love with jazz at 13, on discovering her gran’s old cassette tapes and is heavily influenced by vocal improvisers such as

Mari became involved with the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra and was mentored and taught by leading UK jazz pianist and Dewar Arts Awardee, Alan Benzie, as well as jazz vocalist Stephen Duffy. In 2018 she joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland.

Mari is also a talented songwriter and composer. Her own work is inspired not only by jazz, but also other styles such as RnB and soul music. In 2016, she was selected to perform her original music at the Music For Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She went on to successfully gain a place to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

How the Award Helped

Mari’s Award supported her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

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“Without the incredible support I have had from [the Dewar Awards], I would never have been able to take up my place on my dream course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. I am enjoying and making the most of every moment there and the fact that Dewar have decided to support me inspires me to push to do the best I possibly can with this amazing opportunity.”

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2017 Awardee: Ali Watson

"I am extremely grateful for my Dewar Arts Award."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Originally from the North Coast of Scotland, Ali went to school in Bearsden.  He discovered his passion for jazz while playing bass with the East Dunbartonshire Schools Jazz Orchestra, and was taught classical double bass and jazz double bass at the RCS Junior Conservatoire as a scholarship student.  In his sixth year of school he joined the Music School of Douglas Academy where he had classical lessons.

Ali has played with ensembles including the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra (conducted by former Dewar Arts Awardee Alan Benzie), the Play On orchestra, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland at the BBC Proms, and a NYJOS Futures collaboration.

Described as a ‘truly special musician’ by his tutors, Ali combines a natural affinity for music with a genuine passion and exceptional skillset.  His ambition is to become one of the top jazz bass players in the UK and to play in a world-class contemporary ensemble.

“In twenty years of jazz education I have rarely come across a student as talented and diligent as Ali” – Tutor, Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

How the Award Helped

Ali’s Award supported him in developing his talents further, through a new instrument and study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

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"I am extremely grateful for my Dewar Arts Award."

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