2010 Awardee: Lewis Anderson

I would like to express my gratitude to the trustees of the Dewar Arts Awards for considering me. This award will make my time in London much more productive and rewarding.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Paisley-born Lewis gained a place at the Douglas Academy Music School after showing exceptional promise in his early years at primary school. There he was taught by Jo Pacewicz, clarinettist with the RSNO. In Primary 7 he entered the RSAMD Junior programme. In 2009, Lewis sat Advanced Higher Music and received the highest marks in Scotland.

In 2010, Lewis performed with NYOS, conducted by Diego Masson, and as part of a trio won the Aillie Cullen Memorial Prize at the Glasgow Music Festival for the best performance of the festival. He has also been playing principal clarinet in the West of Scotland Schools Symphony Orchestra where he had the opportunity to conduct the orchestra, under the watchful eye of James Lowe.

Lewis is considered to be one of the most exciting woodwind instrumentalists in Scotland of his generation of young musicians, showing exceptional musical intelligence and originality in his playing. When Lewis was offered a place to study music at the Royal College of Music, he writes that “to be offered a place … was beyond anything I ever imagined I would achieve, and my perspective shifted at that point to not just trying my best but actually being the best I could be.”

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help him financially as he starts his undergraduate studies at the Royal College of Music in London.

After a very successful first year at the Royal College of Music, the trustees were pleased to extend their support of Lewis into his second year.

Back

I would like to express my gratitude to the trustees of the Dewar Arts Awards for considering me. This award will make my time in London much more productive and rewarding.

Back

2010 Awardee: Michael Clark

I would like to express thanks for the opportunity [you] have given me: [the support] will enable me to focus more on my studies rather than working to support my living costs.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 19
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Glasgow born and raised, Michael has performed with a variety of orchestras, including the BBC Merchant Sinfonia, NYOS, the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Scotland and Strathclyde University Orchestra. He studied with Heather Corbett under the Continuing Education Course at RSAMD.

Before leaving Springburn Academy in 2009, Michael completed the Associated Board exams achieving grade 8 with distinction in percussion, grade 4 in guitar and grade 7 with merit in piano. He was successful in gaining a place at the Royal Northern College of Music to study for a degree in music.

Michael’s goal is to become a professional musician.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Award will help towards the tuition, maintenance and other costs while he’s studying at RNCM.

After a successful first year at the Royal Northern College of Music, the trustees were pleased to extend their support of Michael into his second year.

Back

I would like to express thanks for the opportunity [you] have given me: [the support] will enable me to focus more on my studies rather than working to support my living costs.

Back

2010 Awardee: Taylor MacLennan

I would just like to thank you for my Dewar Arts Award. This award will be extremely helpful towards the costs of my first year at the Royal College of Music.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

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.

Back

I would just like to thank you for my Dewar Arts Award. This award will be extremely helpful towards the costs of my first year at the Royal College of Music.

Back

2010 Awardee: Ben McAteer

This award will make a huge difference to my studies next year, and also in my ability to fund myself in terms of living costs in London.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Born and raised in Northern Ireland, Ben was an undergraduate at St Andrews University, where he held the Cedric Thorpe Davie Vocal Scholarship for five years and was senior choral scholar at Holy Trinity Church.

While still an undergraduate, Ben performed as a concert soloist with numerous groups across Fife and Central Scotland, in works including Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St John Passion, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Requiems by Duruflé, Fauré and Mozart. He was also very involved with St Andrews’ Opera and sang the roles of Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Sir Henry Milhouse in Roger Scruton’s The Minister and Tarquinius in Britten’s Rape of Lucretia. He also worked extensively with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society both as a soloist and musical director.

Ben was considered to be one of the most outstanding singers who had studied at St Andrews in over 25 years and his bass solo in Handel’s Messiah was described as “perfection”. Ben moves to London to continue his vocal studies.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards will help him pursue a Master of Vocal Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

At the end of his first year, Ben successfully auditioned for the Guildhall Opera Course and was moved onto the Advanced Certificate in Opera course. His award was extended for a second and final year to enable him to complete a MMus in Vocal Performance.

Back

This award will make a huge difference to my studies next year, and also in my ability to fund myself in terms of living costs in London.

Back

2010 Awardee: Ross Mcinroy

I am very excited about the possibilities and opportunities available to me this year and fully intend to embrace it and make the very most of it. I fully appreciate that all this would not be possible without the generous support of the Dewar Arts Awards. I am so very thankful for your help.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 29
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Dundee born Ross grew up in Arbroath in Angus. He began his musical training with the National Youth Choir of Scotland, featuring as a soloist on their CD of Scots songs. He studied singing at RSAMD, graduating with a BMus, went on to study opera at the Royal Academy of Music and later at the Royal College of Music’s International Opera School.

During these years of training, Ross has been watched with interest by Scottish Opera. He possesses a real bass voice which is rare in the UK and which observers believe is capable of reaching a high level of performance.

In his first year at the Royal Academy, Ross performed in three of the Academy’s productions, including the role of Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia, where his performance was judged to be ‘outstanding’. In his second year, he sang Barolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, under Sir Colin Davies. During his time at the Royal College of Music, Ross performed with distinction, singing roles as diverse and demanding as Sarastro, Quince and Krusina.

Ross has been offered a place at the prestigious National Opera Studio, London, the studio from which many a stellar career in opera has been launched. The trustees have also watched Ross’s progress with great interest and have been delighted to be able to help with his postgraduate training, both at the RAM and later at the RCM’s Opera School.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help towards the costs of studying at the National Opera Studio in London.

Since the Award

During his year at the National Opera Studio, Ross successfully auditioned for the role of Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Opera della Luna where he performed it as part of the 2011 Iford Arts Festival.

Later in the year, he successfully auditioned for the Emerging Artist scheme at the Scottish Opera. Ross says of his final year at NOS that “I felt like I had never worked so hard but equally I had never been so motivated to do so.”

Back

I am very excited about the possibilities and opportunities available to me this year and fully intend to embrace it and make the very most of it. I fully appreciate that all this would not be possible without the generous support of the Dewar Arts Awards. I am so very thankful for your help.

Back

2010 Awardee: Erin Smith

This award will enable me to continue my studies at the Royal Academy of Music. I am so grateful that I can now concentrate on the violin with less financial worries.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 21
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

From Aberdeen, Erin is studying music at the Royal Academy of Music. In 2006, she won a Daughter of Dewar award to buy a performance standard bow for her violin. At the time, her teacher at the Aberdeen City Music School described her as being in ‘league division one’. After finding the bow of her choice, Erin wrote that “playing with a bow of such high standard made such a difference to my sound and confidence.”

Erin began playing the violin at the age of four, playing mainly Scottish fiddle music. By the age of 12 she had won over 200 competitions, including the Scottish championships six times in a row and the National Mod three times in a row. She has appeared on live radio and TV and performed at both parliaments in Westminster and Holyrood. She gave an outstanding performance at First Minister, Alex Salmond’s, Homecoming 2009 event.

Erin has been a member of Scotland’s National Children’s Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, National Youth String Ensemble and Camerata Scotland. After being invited to play at the prestigious Glenfiddich competition, she decided to concentrate on classical music. She was accepted by all the major UK conservatoires, choosing to study at the Royal Academy of Music.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will contribute towards the considerable costs to study music in London.

Back

This award will enable me to continue my studies at the Royal Academy of Music. I am so grateful that I can now concentrate on the violin with less financial worries.

Back

2010 Awardee: Kay Stephen

This generous award will allow me to complete my masters and, more importantly, spend a further year learning with my teacher, Pavel Fischer.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2010
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Aberdeen born and bred, Kay moved to Glasgow at 17 to study violin at RSAMD, graduating with a first-class degree in music and the top mark in her year. She moved to Manchester to pursue a master of music at RNCM, where she studies with Pavel Fischer.

At RNCM, Kay has enjoyed many performing opportunities and has led every college ensemble, from the tight-knit ‘new ensemble’ to the symphony orchestra. She led the orchestra in the summer of 2010 residency at the Cantiere festival in Montepulciano. Kay has also performed with some big Scottish names, including Donnie Munro, Capercaillie, and Alasdair McCulloch. She was a member of the True North Orchestra when it opened 2009’s Celtic Connections.

Kay was accepted onto the BBC Philharmonic professional access scheme, with whom she had the thrilling experience of playing works such as Mahler’s Sixth and Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. She is also part of a quartet which has enjoyed success, winning the Hirsch quartet prize and performing in the prestigious RNCM chamber festival. Flushed with this success the quartet plans to take part in external music competitions in the future.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help towards the second year costs of the master of music at RNCM.

Since the Award

After graduating with a Master of Music Solo Performance, with Merit, Kay was offered a place as violinist on the Halle’s Leadership scheme. Kay says that one of the best things to come out of her final year at the RNCM was forming a new string quartet, the Gildas Quartet. The highlight was to be invited by the RNCM’s international chair of chamber music, Gabor Takacs Nagy, to work more intensively with him in Geneva. Kay also helped to create the Cragiebuckler Ensemble, a group of young Scottish musicians who put on chamber music concerts in small venues around Scotland. She writes that it is a great way to bring old friends together who are always thrilled to have an excuse to come back and perform in Scotland.

Back

This generous award will allow me to complete my masters and, more importantly, spend a further year learning with my teacher, Pavel Fischer.

Back

2009 Awardee: Tom Harrold

I am thrilled to have this opportunity to be associated with the Dewar Arts Awards and will do my utmost to do justice to this fantastic award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2009
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://soundcloud.com/tom-harrold
 
 

Biography

Glasgow-born Tom Harrold has had his music performed and recorded in London, Amsterdam, York, Glasgow, Aberdeen – and Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago! Tom was a pupil at the Music School of Douglas Academy for almost six years before he was accepted by the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester to study composition.

The son of professional musicians, Tom was winner of the 2007 BBC Proms/Guardian Young Composer’s Competition. His music has been performed and workshopped by members of the BBC Scottish Symphony, the BBC Symphony and the Aurora Orchestras and the Endymion Ensemble, along with the Ebor Singers. Tom has already received commissions from the BBC Proms, Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra and from several professional soloists.

In April 2009, Tom had a new work performed at the Fifth Summit of the Americas, and his piece “The Day is Done” was on the shortlist of three of the National Centre for Early Music/BBC Radio 3/Tallis Scholar Composer’s Competition. In the same year, he was joint winner of the Heriot-Watt University Young Composer’s Competition.

All these wonderful experiences and opportunities have fuelled his love for composing and confirmed in him a desire to become one of the foremost Scottish and British contemporary composers of his generation.

For up-to-date information on Tom’s work, visit his page on SoundCloud.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help Tom in his first year at RNCM studying composition.

Since the Award

Demonstrating good progress, Tom’s Award has been continued into a second year, and subsequently, a third year.

29/04/13: Tom has been shortlisted for a commission from the Royal Philharmonic Society. making it into the final four entrants put forward by the Royal Northern College of Music. The chosen composer will write a fanfare to open the IAMA’s Montreal Conference this November and the London Conference in April 2014.

FROM DREAMS, Trinity Boys Choir (cond. David Swinson), Live from Herz Jesu Kirche, Munich

Back

I am thrilled to have this opportunity to be associated with the Dewar Arts Awards and will do my utmost to do justice to this fantastic award.

Back

2009 Awardee: Asher Zaccardelli

YEAR OF AWARD: 2009
AGE AT AWARD: 19
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Asher was born in Edinburgh, he attended St Mary’s Music School and completed his undergraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

He enjoys a versatile career as a chamber musician, regularly working with Hebrides Ensemble, Scottish Ensemble, 13 North and 12 Ensemble where he has appeared as a soloist. He was Violist of the Maxwell String Quartet and the Ruisi String Quartet, winning various awards with both including the Royal Philharmonic Society’s ‘Albert and Eugenie Frost Prize’ for chamber music in 2016.

Asher has established himself as a sought-after orchestral principal and has played guest principal viola with The Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He is also a regular player with the John Wilson Orchestra and Sinfonia of London. He held the position of Assistant Principal Viola with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra between 2019-2023.

 

Asher enjoys performing challenging repertoire from memory. As a regular player with Aurora Orchestra for over 10 years, he has performed several works from memory including 4 Beethoven symphonies (3,5,6,7), Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique and Stravinsky’s Firebird & The Rite of Spring.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award supported Asher’s studies at the Royal Academy of Music.

Back

Back

2009 Awardee: Beth Mackay

Every day I am inspired by my teachers and coaches, directors and my peers, which encourages me to perform to my highest potential. I would not have been able to take advantage of this opportunity without the Trust's support and I thank you so very much for enabling me to do so.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2009
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Yorkshire-born mezzo-soprano Beth Mackay gained her first degree at Leeds University, during which time she sang in the Leeds Baroque Choir. She progressed to the RNCM in Manchester to pursue postgraduate vocal studies, moving on to continue her studies at the RSAMD in Glasgow.

Beth has a range which is ideally suited to the music of the 18th century. She continues to perform regularly as a soloist with the Leeds Baroque Choir and for the last two years has performed at the Suffolk Villages Festival, East Anglia’s Early Music Festival. Whilst at RSAMD she has impressed with her development as a stage artist, able to convey the inner drama of her character.

In 2009 Beth was offered a place on the RSAMD’s prestigious Masters Programme for Opera Studies. She finds the environment of studying at RSAMD to be very energising, and has experienced great growth and development from their teaching.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help with the expenses of pursuing the two-year programme towards a Master of Opera.

Since the Award

Beth successfully graduated with a Master of Opera (distinction) from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  Immediately after graduation, she took up a contract with the Clonter Opera in Cheshire.

Beth writes that her future is exciting, including as it does working with Opera North on a contemporary music project, with the Britten Choir in London, concert and oratorio appearances already in the diary and auditions for opera companies in the pipeline.

Back

Every day I am inspired by my teachers and coaches, directors and my peers, which encourages me to perform to my highest potential. I would not have been able to take advantage of this opportunity without the Trust's support and I thank you so very much for enabling me to do so.

Back