2008 Awardee: Aidan Crosbie

Aidan was truly thrilled about the award. (Suzanne Crosbie, mother)

YEAR OF AWARD: 2008
AGE AT AWARD: 12
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Glaswegian Aidan Crosbie comes from a musical background, with both brother and cousins playing Scottish and Irish traditional music to a high level. Aidan started playing traditional music at the age of six when he joined Comhaltas, playing banjo, whistle and drums. Playing with his sibling and cousins in professional bands and groups around Scotland, Aidan quickly developed confidence performing at school, charity events and festivals including prestigious events such as Celtic Connections.

Aidan regularly enters music competitions, in 2004 coming second and in 2007 winning the All Britain Fleadh for both banjo and drums.

Aidan is considered to be a very talented young musician. He plays with excellent technique combined with a musicality and maturity beyond his years. He is dedicated to his music making and this dedication and enjoyment shines through his playing.  His aim is to study for a degree in traditional music at the RSAMD and already has the talent and drive to blossom into a very fine Scottish musician.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards enabled Aidan to buy a professional banjo of the quality he set his heart on.

Since the Award

Aidan writes, “Since receiving the Daughter of Dewar Award, my musicianship has improved enormously – I have benefited from top class tutoring, I enjoy my banjo playing much more, and am delighted at the positive feedback I receive.”

Since buying a new banjo, Aidan has had much success in competitions. In 2009 he won first place at the Glasgow and Scottish Fleadh’s in solo, duet and trio categories and also in duet and trio in the All Britain Fleadh, all of which qualified him to compete in the All Ireland Fleadh in August 2009.

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Aidan was truly thrilled about the award. (Suzanne Crosbie, mother)

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2007 Awardee: Alan Benzie

I believe it is really important to develop my own “voice” both compositionally and as a performer, and I would also love to be a voice for Scottish jazz on the international scene.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 17
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

To have a life in music has been Alan’s dream since he was eight years old. A graduate of St Mary’s Music School, Alan started his musical career by learning the violin and was a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Scotland. He represented the City of Edinburgh by playing solo violin in the UK Holocaust Memorial concert.

Then he discovered jazz. He switched to playing the piano, set up a jazz quartet (Take 4) at school, with whom he has performed throughout Scotland and helped to launch a BBC youth initiative. Take 4received the School’s Director of Music’s discretionary Award for Musical Achievement.
Up until then, Alan was largely self-taught on the jazz piano. He then had the benefit of tuition from a number of leading pianists/composers who helped him develop and refine his technique and composing. A self-confessed obsessive jazz pianist by this time, Alan took every opportunity to play – with Tommy Smith’s Youth Jazz Orchestra, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and his own jazz quintet. He also was a regular performer in Edinburgh’s Jazz Bar, which led to great opportunities to play gigs with the best jazz musicians around.

Being offered a scholarship to study jazz piano at Berklee was a dream come true. By this time, Alan was being noticed as a jazz pianist of huge potential and, unsurprisingly, he won the BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year at the same time as being accepted by Berklee.

On arrival at Berklee Alan made history by being awarded the highest ‘rating’ of any Scot entering Berklee for more than 20 years.

As well as allowing him to be in some of Berklee’s top student ensembles, this also gave him the opportunity to study with Berklee’s premier piano teacher, JoAnne Brackeen. He writes,”I had been hoping that it might be possible to study with her later on in my studies if things went really well, so I’m over the moon to have it happen from the start.”

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards is supporting Alan’s studies at Berklee.

Since the Award

Alan spent four remarkable years at Berklee, getting straight ‘A’s’ for his studies, winning the 2009 Alex Ulanowski Award for outstanding composition, taking over the piano chair of the Berklee Rainbow All Stars ensemble and culminating in receiving the 2010-11 Billboard Award.

He graduated Summa Cum Laude in the summer of 2011. In his last semester, he represented Berklee with his quartet at the Monterey Next Generation Festival. He went on to the Rochester International Jazz Festival to perform with his trio as part of the ‘Made in the UK’ series. He also had time to play with a couple of jazz legends; in one of Hal Crook’s ensembles at Berklee and with Jerry Bergonzi on one of his latest projects.

Alan writes of his whole Berklee experience that “I’ve been able to get a taste of what it’s like to play with some of the best musicians out there….and thereby learn some important lessons that no classroom can give you.”

July 2015 – Alan and his trio released the acclaimed debut album ‘Traveler’s Tales’, inspired by Alan’s travels as a musician, the landscape of Scotland and his love of Japanese animation.

Alan Benzie performing ‘Glass’

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I believe it is really important to develop my own “voice” both compositionally and as a performer, and I would also love to be a voice for Scottish jazz on the international scene.

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2006 Awardee: Michael Turner

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

Biography

At the time of winning the award, Michael is the current under-12 All-Britain Slow Air Champion, and has won numerous other traditional music competitions. He has played at Celtic Connections, Fiddle 2004 and 2005, Ar Ais Aris in Buncrana, Co. Donegal and other Irish and Scottish traditional music showcases.

Glasgow-born Michael started playing the fiddle at the age of four. As both his older brothers are also keen traditional musicians Michael was exposed to traditional music from a young age. He quickly demonstrated his natural talent and flair for music.

Michael has above average artistic talent and potential for his age and the right temperament to perform on stage. He is one of the best musicians in his age group and has the talent, commitment and enthusiasm to go far. His aim is to become a professional musician, but needs an instrument to match his talent in order to progress.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards has enabled Michael to buy a Rab Cherry fiddle.

Since the Award

Michael writes that since receiving his new fiddle his standard of playing has vastly improved. He has since won a clutch of medals in duet, trio, ceilidh band and other group competitions. The achievements he particularly cherishes are winning the All-Scotland Solo Slow Air competition followed by coming 3rd in the British Championships in the 12-15 age group. In 2009 he came first in the Scottish Fiddle Solo competition and then 3rd in the British Championships again. Other highlights of the year were supporting fellow Dewar Arts Awardees, Kathleen Boyle and Lauren McColl, with his group Southside Fiddlers.

Michael says that thanks to his new fiddle, his musical ability and love for music have increased dramatically.

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2007 Awardee: Alasdair Beatson

It is with enormous pleasure and gratitude that I write to [you] to express my thanks for this incredible support and opportunity.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.alasdairbeatson.com/
 
 

Biography

Although Perth’s Alasdair Beatson is the first classical musician in his family, our guess is that with an aunt who was a member of the 70’s iconic pop group ‘New Seekers’, musical star quality is in his genes.

Alasdair is a stellar pianist. He began his musical tuition at the Aberdeen Music School, where he won a scholarship. At the age of 18, he went to the Royal College of Music as a Foundation Scholar and four years’ later continued his studies at Indiana University with the famous pianist Menahem Pressler. Along the way, he has won a clutch of prestigious prizes, including the Making Music Award for Young Artist and 2nd prize in the China Shanghai International Piano Competition and has performed with some of the world’s top musicians and ensembles.

Alasdair is one of the two most talented students his music tutor at RCM has encountered, and his playing is considered to be inspirational. He writes of Alasdair, “I have never heard him give a performance which was not memorable and arresting, casting new light on the repertoire.” Working at the highest professional level, Alasdair needs permanent access to a piano that will allow him to explore and develop his playing. He is expected to become one of the great pianists on the international stage.

For more information about Alasdair, see www.alasdairbeatson.com.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award made a substantial contribution towards the purchase of a piano.

Since the Award

Sometime later, Alasdair writes that “it is no exaggeration to say that receiving the Dewar Arts Award felt like the unlocking of a new chapter in my life.” Since buying a new practice piano, Alasdair has released his debut solo CD, given solo recitals in Wigmore Hall, toured as a concerto soloist with the Scottish Ensemble , and in chamber music worked alongside Alison Balsom, Jennifer Pike, Pekka Kuusisto, Nicholas Daniel, Thomas Carroll, and the Doric String Quartet. Alasdair is a concert pianist, both as a soloist and a chamber musician.

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It is with enormous pleasure and gratitude that I write to [you] to express my thanks for this incredible support and opportunity.

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2007 Awardee: Alasdair Henderson

“I am absolutely delighted and privileged to have been selected to receive an award.”

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 18
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Although still only in the first year of his degree in Scottish Music (piping) at the RSAMD, Alasdair is, according to his mentor, a big piping talent ready to burst out in all directions. Currently he is a member of the pipers’ “boy band” TNT (The New Tradition) which recently won a recording contract with Greentrax records.

Alasdair began to learn piping at the age of eleven. He was first taught by his uncle and now he is taught by the renowned Major Gavin Stoddart. He quickly showed huge potential by winning a Mod gold medal and becoming the National Piping Centre overall junior champion and the Scottish Junior Champion.

Alasdair plays with the ScottishPower Pipe Band as well as TNT. In 2007 he won a Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections. He is considered to be amongst a handful of the most talented young pipers in Scotland today.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award enabled Alasdair to buy a set of Fred Morrison border/reel pipes.

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“I am absolutely delighted and privileged to have been selected to receive an award.”

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2007 Awardee: Alasdair Spratt

"Many thanks to all at the Dewar Arts Awards for the generous award made."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD:
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Glasgow-born Alasdair Spratt is a composer and pianist. Alasdair won the Philharmonia Prize for composition in 2004.

How the Award Helped

Alasdair’s Dewar Arts Award supported him in completing his PhD studies.

Since the Award

Alasdair received his PhD in 2008. He is now an active musician and educationalist.

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"Many thanks to all at the Dewar Arts Awards for the generous award made."

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2007 Awardee: Alexa Beattie

I am extremely excited about my successful nomination and would like to gratefully accept my Dewar Award.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 28
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Edinburgh-born Alexa Beattie grew up in North Berwick and was a pupil at St Mary’s Music School. She graduated from the School with the Isobel Dunlop Prize for Service and the Leonard Friedman Chamber Music Prize, signalling a bright future for herself as a violist.

Throughout her further musical education, Alexa won a number of scholarships in recognition of her unique talent. In 2007 she won a place on the San Francisco Conservatory’s Artist’s Certification in Chamber Music programme, as one of only three successful applicants. The collaborative nature of the programme means that Alexa will perform regularly with members of the faculty, who already rate her very highly as an engaging and intelligent performer. Whilst in San Francisco, Alexa has championed contemporary Scottish music, for which she has been awarded a scholarship by the St Andrew’s Society of Scotland in Washington D.C. in recognition of her efforts.

Alexa’s ultimate ambition is to perform chamber music internationally at the highest professional level within ensemble contexts and as a solo performer. Her interests range from classical repertoire to contemporary works. One of her long-term projects is to record contemporary Scottish viola repertoire. Alexa is in the final stage of her studies and is set to make her mark on the international stage as a thoughtful, sensitive and dedicated musician.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award is helping to finance Alexa’s studies at the San Francisco Conservatory.

Since the Award

Alexa writes, “The Dewar Award came at the perfect time. The unique Chamber Music Programme in San Francisco has been extremely powerful in my development as a performer. I believe myself to be a significantly different and infinitely stronger player than when I began the programme. The previous year has been a tremendous confidence boost. My ability to trust myself on stage is far greater. I also believe that the American approach to string playing technique has been a large part of this development.”

After successfully obtaining the Artist’s Certificate in Chamber Music at the San Francisco Conservatory, Alexa was offered the Chamber Music Assistantship at the Conservatory for 2009.

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I am extremely excited about my successful nomination and would like to gratefully accept my Dewar Award.

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2007 Awardee: Alfredo Caponetto

By means of this award a window has been opened for me and has given me the concrete opportunity to complete my PhD education as the best provision for the journey of life.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 28
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

For Mexican-Italian, Alfredo Caponnetto, ‘music is my life’.

Alfredo came to Edinburgh University a year and a half ago after studying composition in Italy. Building on his Italian studies in contemporary music, he has developed an exciting synthesis of his highly-approachable tonal style and a more experimental music. His mentors at Edinburgh University say of him that his work shows the emergence of a true and distinctive compositional talent.

Alfredo is now pursuing a PhD in composition at Edinburgh University. Music commissions to emerging composers are now very rare, and a PhD is becoming the established route for composers to gain experience in their art. The focus of Alfredo’s PhD will be to create links between the Renaissance counterpoint tradition and contemporary music. He writes, “I strongly believe that the combination of the clear lines of Renaissance counterpoint with the exceptionally broad writing techniques found in contemporary music could help develop the inventive language of music in the 21st century.”

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will support Alfredo for the three years of his PhD.

Since the Award

In November 2012, Alfredo was awarded the degree of PhD in Music Composition from Edinburgh University. During his PhD years, Alfredo co-founded both the Edinburgh Contemporary Music Ensemble, for the promotion of contemporary music, and Europe Edition Ltd., a publisher of new works by contemporary composers. He also set up a relationship between the Santa Cecilia Conservatoire in Rome and the historically-significant St Cecilia’s Hall in Edinburgh. His PhD supervisor says his submission is of the very highest quality which has more than fulfilled his early promise. Alfredo writes that the Dewar Arts Award allowed him to take a huge leap forward in his musical career.

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By means of this award a window has been opened for me and has given me the concrete opportunity to complete my PhD education as the best provision for the journey of life.

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2007 Awardee: Ani Batikian

I am extremely thankful to you, and appreciate your support very much. I would like to thank you and express my deepest gratitude.

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.anibatikian.com
 
 

Biography

Even before Armenian-born Ani Batikian started her Masters at the RSAMD, Glasgow, in 2006 she was invited to be guest leader of their Symphony Orchestra, to play with the Hebrides Ensemble and to take two master classes with Ilya Gringoltz.

Ani began her musical studies at the age of 15 at the Yerevan State Conservatoire in Armenia, the youngest student ever to study there and supported by a local scholarship. Receiving the Raffi Manoukian full scholarship meant she could continue her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, graduating with a DipRAM for outstanding performance and a PGDip with distinction. When she applied to pursue a Masters at the RSAMD, she was awarded the prestigious International Full Scholarship for being an outstanding MMus student. She now studies with Peter Lissauer.

Ani has performed as a soloist throughout Armenia and Europe. She has performed with some of the major European musicians and received masterclasses with world-class musicians.

Since her arrival at the RSAMD, Ani has underlined her reputation as a musician of exceptional talent by winning the Hilda Bailey Prize, the Governor’s Prize for Chamber Music and the Mabel Glover String Quartet Prize. Shortly after her arrival, Ani formed the Cosmopolitan String Quartet, which she leads, and which has performed throughout Scotland and in London. These positive initial experiences in Glasgow have helped Ani to decide to make Scotland her home, believing that she can establish herself here as a soloist.

Amazingly, Ani has achieved all of this without ever owning her own violin. Throughout her studies she has been able to borrow excellent instruments at each institution, but she has had to give them back at the end of her studies.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will contribute towards a professional standard violin to match Ani’s prodigious talent.

Since the Award

When looking for the right violin, Ani was advised that when she played a violin that she didn’t want to give back, she would know that she had found the right one. Ani chose a Ciciliati violin and has since played it at numerous concerts.

For more information about Ani, her future concerts, and to listen to some of her recordings, see www.anibatikian.com.

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I am extremely thankful to you, and appreciate your support very much. I would like to thank you and express my deepest gratitude.

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2007 Awardee: Anna Mary Lynch

I would be absolutely delighted to accept your extremely generous offer….. without [which] I would otherwise never have been able to afford [a new bassoon].

YEAR OF AWARD: 2007
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Scottish student Anna Mary Lynch is currently studying bassoon at Glasgow’s RSAMD. Already Anna Mary plays regularly in RSAMD symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles and for NYOS, and has the ambition to become an orchestra player.

Anna Mary’s commitment and talent have seen her do well in her studies so far and recently she won an apprenticeship with the RSNO which enables her to sit in rehearsals with the orchestra. However, in common with many students, her instrument was bought while she was still at school and is no longer of sufficient quality to enable her to reach her full potential as a musician.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Awards made a contribution towards the purchase of a new bassoon.

Since the Award

Anna Mary writes that “It is without question that my new instrument has made a huge difference to my playing.” Since getting her new bassoon, Anna has played principal bassoon with Camerata Scotland, received a masterclass with Roger Birnstingl, reached the final of the RSAMD Governors Recital Prize for Woodwind and, with RSA Stevenson Winds, received Highly Commended in the Governors Chamber Music Prize.

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I would be absolutely delighted to accept your extremely generous offer….. without [which] I would otherwise never have been able to afford [a new bassoon].

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