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.