Biography

Scottish tenor Liam Bonthrone was born in Perth, where he attended the High School and received free musical tuition as a member of the Perth Jambouree Singers. He credits the choir’s director Edna Auld for his musical inspiration, and his first singing teacher Fiona Brownsmith for nurturing his voice and musical ear from the age of 11.

A community-based project, the choir performed almost every weekend at local events. Liam was encouraged to develop his stage presence, his capacity as compere, and his ability to accompany other singers on piano. As Liam’s voice changed from treble to young tenor, Edna and Fiona guided Liam’s development.  He went on to successfully audition for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s undergraduate voice programme.

Whilst at the Conservatoire, Liam studied with Scott Johnson and won the Hugh S. Roberton Prize for Scottish Singing, the Leonie Kayser Prize and the Elgar/Spedding Lieder Duo Prize. He continued on to postgraduate study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, under the tutelage of Robert Dean and Adrian Thompson, and won First Prize in the GSMD English Song Competition.

As an Alvarez Young Artist in the Garsington Opera 2019 Season, Liam performed in the choruses of Don Giovanni and as an ensemble soloist in Monteverdi Vespers of 1610.  In September 2019, he made his role debut as Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola with British Youth Opera and won both the Dame Hilda Bracket Prize from Sadler’s Wells and the Basil A. Turner Opera Award for his performances.

Liam has performed in masterclasses led by Sir Willard White, Malcolm Martineau, Ann Murray, John Treleaven, John Mark Ainsley and Roger Vignoles. On the concert platform, solo performances have included Handel Messiah and Samson, Mendelssohn Elijah, Mozart Requiem and Mass in C minor, Haydn The Creation, Bach St John Passion, Finzi For St. Cecilia and the Scottish premiere of Joubert’s St. Mark Passion. He also appeared in various roles in the ensemble for Bernstein’s Candide, with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop, in the Barbican Centre.

Liam is in high demand as a recitalist; in 2019, he performed alongside the Prince Consort at the Wigmore Hall, and in Graham Johnson’s Song Guild at Milton Court. He was a featured soloist in the April 2019 BBC Boulanger sisters’ ‘Total Immersion’ weekend, later broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and he frequently performs in collaboration with pianist Alasdair Hogarth for Classic FM.

Highlights of the 2019/2020 season include an appearance in a concert celebrating the work of composer Julian Philips, Handel’s Samson at Haddo House, and performing his International debut as Bruno in Bellini’s I Puritani with the Rotterdam Operkoor, in De Doelen.

How the Award Helped

Since the Award

Update 2020:

In February 2020, Liam sang Russian songs as part of an exchange project at the Mariinsky Theatre, in St Petersburg. He also gained the opportunity to undertake training as a Samling Young Artist.

Alongside a classical singing career, Liam appears regularly in theatres across the UK as part of ‘The Two Highland Lads’, a Scottish variety performing duo, with baritone Kenneth Maciver (also a member of Jambouree), Leonard Brown and his All-Star Band. He has since returned to his hometown of Perth to assist Edna Auld in the training of young voices in the choir, and to perform in charity fundraising concerts.

From September 2020, Liam will study at the Royal Academy Opera School, as a recipient of a Bicentenary Scholarship.

Biography

Colin Murray discovered singing at a young age, taking part in the National Boys Choir of Scotland before graduating to the National Youth Choir of Scotland. Through NYCoS, Colin had the privilege of singing in some of Europe’s finest concert venues whilst he was still a teenager. These experiences, alongside the top musicianship training offered, gave him the passion and the opportunity to pursue singing further by gaining entry to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Colin’s operatic engagements include the role of ‘Harry Easter’ in The RCS production of Kurt Weill’s ‘Street Scene’, the title role in Victor Ullman’s ‘Der Kaiser von Atlantis’ and covering the role of ‘Belcore’ at the inaugural New Generation Festival in Florence. In his time at the RCS he performed several roles, including ‘Le Roi Mark’ in a rare staged performance of Frank Martin’s ‘Le Vin Herbe’, ‘Don Alfonso’ in Mozart’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ and ‘Father’ in Humperdinck’s ‘Hansel und Gretel’ in a performance opening the 2016 Saint Magnus Festival on Orkney. Outside the RCS, Colin is a founding member of the company Raucous Rossini, and has performed the roles of ‘Blansac’ in ‘La Scala di seta’ touring Britain and Italy.

Colin is an accomplished concert soloist and award-winning ensemble singer. He works regularly with many of Scotland’s biggest choral societies and recent high-profile appearances have included Elgar’s ‘Dream of Gerontius’ and Walton’s ‘Belshazzar’s Feast’ at Glasgow’s City Halls.  He is passionate about ensemble singing and in 2017 won the Governor’s Recital Prize for Chamber Music at the Royal Conservatoire, part of the first vocal ensemble ever to do so. Colin is a founding member of the ‘RCS Voices’ and a regular choral scholar with the choir of Paisley Abbey.

How the Award Helped

Biography

Grace is originally from Lincolnshire and went on to study at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with Suzanne Murphy.  She graduated in 2014 with an MA in Opera Performance and a 1^st Class BMus (Hons).  During her time at RWCMD she has appeared in concerts with the College Chorus and Symphony Orchestra as well as lunchtime recitals as a chorus member and as a soloist.  After moving to Scotland in 2014, Grace studied with Patricia MacMahon.

Grace’s operatic work includes; Zweite Dame/Zweite Knabe in Die Zauberflöte (Escales Lyriques), Dryade (Cover) in Ariadne auf Naxos (Scottish Opera),La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi (Les Azuriales), 2nd Bridesmaid (Cover)/Chorus in Le Nozze di Figaro and Chorus in Eugene Onegin, Aleko/Francesca da Rimini, La Traviata, Iolanta, La bohème, Le Villi, L’amico Fritz, Pelléas et Mélisande, The Mikado, Rusalka, Carmen and Madama Butterfly (all Scottish Opera). Chorus in HMS Pinafore, Princess Ida, The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance (all The National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company), Jennifer/The Creator in My Perfect World (Welsh National Opera Outreach Workshop), 2nd Lady in The Magic Flute (RWCMD), Stewardess (Cover) in Flight (RWCMD), Bianca and Auntie in Britten’s Women (RWCMD at The Bath International Music Festival), Bianca in The Rape of Lucretia (RWCMD), Chorus in The Bartered Bride and Chorus in Le Nozze di Figaro (both British Youth Opera).

In scenes, she has also sung: Componist in Ariadne auf Naxos (with orchestra), Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Carmen, Idamante in Idomeneo, Cendrillon (with orchestra), Meg in Falstaff, Charlotte in Werther (with orchestra) (all RWCMD), and Hansel (Opera’r Ddraig).

Grace’s oratorio performances include: Handel Messiah, Haydn Stabat Mater, Mozart Regina Coeli KV 267, Rutter Feel the Spirit, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Coronation Mass, Britten Ceremony of Carols, Vivaldi Gloria and Magnificat and Pergolesi Stabat Mater.

Grace was a finalist in Ljuba Welitsch International Vocal Compeition 2017, Les Azuriales competition 2016, semi-finalist in The Mozart Competition 2013, a finalist in The Thelma King Award 2013 and 2014, and she was chosen to compete in the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Bursary Award in 2009. Additional engagements include: Prince Charmant in Cendrillon (Fife Opera) and Chorus in Edgar (Scottish Opera).

How the Award Helped

In 2018, Grace was chosen to participate in the residential Song Masterclass with Malcolm Martineau at Crear Space to Create. Her Dewar Arts Award enabled her to take up this opportunity.

Grace writes; “The masterclasses have truly been a turning point for me, as they gave me a safe environment to explore and discover different repertoire whilst finding new confidence in myself and in what I have to offer as an artist.”

Biography

Stephanie has always had a passion for singing. She studied her undergraduate degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on a scholarship where she achieved an Honours Degree of the First Class. During her time there, she participated in a masterclass with Meribeth Bunch Dayme, received coaching from Rachel Nicholls and partook in many poignant choral engagements. She sang the role of Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the RCS Opera Scenes and was a member of the chorus of the Conservatoire’s production of Die Fledermaus in May of 2017.

Stephanie was part of the launch of the Piccalilli Opera Company; a new budding opera company based in the Yorkshire area. She has also worked closely with the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society by putting on various concerts in the Charles Rennie Mackintosh church and the House for an Art Lover.

Over the summer of 2017, she joined Opera Bohemia on their sell-out tour around Scotland as a member of the chorus in their production of Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers. She also attended her second British Youth Opera summer workshop as well as attending the Oxenfoord International Summer School.

Having gained a scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music, Stephanie sang the role of Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen in 40minutes, participated in a weekend residency with Opera North working with Nicholas Kok and Tim Albery, and sang in a masterclass with Andrew Shore. She was also involved in the first recording of Cellier’s Dorothy with Richard Bonynge and Victorian Opera Northwest singing the role of Phyllis (released in Febuary 2019 by NAXOS).

Stephanie was also a finalist in the Frederick Cox Award and has sang in various charity concerts and opera galas throughout the year. She portrayed the Sandman in RNCM’s spring production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, conducted by Anthony Kraus and directed by Stephen Medcalf. She was also involved in Clonter Opera’s Spring Opera Showcase singing a variety of repetoire and working with Michael McCaffery and Anthony Legge.

In summer 2018, Stephanie sang with Buxton International Festival, singing chorus in Mozart’s Idomeneo, conducted by Nicholas Kok and directed by Stephen Medcalf, and singing chorus and covering the role of Zuma in Verdi’s Alzira, conducted by Stephen Barlow and directed by Elijah Moshinsky. Additional engagements include singing the roles of La Principessa in Suor Angelica and Zita in Gianni Schicchi in RNCM’s Puccini double bill, directed by Robert Chevara and conducted by Marin Andre.

Stephanie is very grateful to be supported by The Sir James Caird’s Travelling Scholarship Trust and the Dewar Arts Awards.

How the Award Helped