Testimonials

I write to you to express my gratitude for supporting me financially in 2011/2012 during my studies at Berkeley College of Music, Boston, USA. The venture would not have been possible without your support and I am eternally grateful to you for accepting my funding application.

I have since been appointed tutor in Practical Musicianship, Theory and Composition at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and I am currently recording and performing with leading Scottish musicians such as Duncan Chisholm, Jarlath Henderson, Adam Sutherland, Ross Ainslie and Gary Innes.

I gained a huge amount of knowledge and experience in piano and composition at Berklee, and wanted to thank you properly by providing the Trustees with a copy of my solo album “The River”, a Celtic Connections ‘New Voices’ commission which premiered at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last year. The album received 5 star reviews in the national press and has been Album of the Week on four BBC Radio Stations. At the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016 I was nominated for ‘Composer of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year’. I hope you enjoy the album.

Many thanks indeed and warm regards.

The GDMT already generously covered the fees for Pete Clark and Hannah Fisher to deliver two workshops for the school. These were incredibly well received and had a real impact on the children who were able to participate.  The youth musical thread running through anniversary celebrations also includes:

New pipe tune “Proceed with Honour” composed for the anniversary was played as HRH the Earl of Wessex enters Dunkeld Cathedral for the 450th anniversary service.

New fiddle tune composed for the anniversary by Pete Clark.  Pete played three variations of his new tune “The Royal School of Dunkeld” to the children at his workshops and they selected the reel. Pete will debut this in the Cathedral during the anniversary service.

Vale of Atholl Junior Pipe Band played to welcome HRH to the Royal Garden Party at the school.

Young fiddlers from the Royal School of Dunkeld played the new tune with Pete Clark at the Royal Garden Party.

The GDMT being recognised on the Order of Service and publicly from the stage as “Music Sponsor for the 450th anniversary”.

Last week Pete Clark and Hannah Fisher delivered two workshops at The Royal School of Dunkeld to mark the school’s 450th anniversary. Alice Grimson, the teacher in charge, described them as “amazing”. They were enjoyed by lots of children as you can see in the photo. Pete shared his new composition, named for the school, and taught it to some of the young fiddlers.

The school is very grateful to the GDMT for making all this possible (see the acknowledgement on Facebook @RSD450). Many thanks to all trustees for supporting this activity. It was a great success.

This band was developed by Ross Inglis, a young Dundee based piper, who had a vision to start up a new pipe band which would create accessible music education for any individual with an interest on playing pipes and drums regardless of prior knowledge/skill. An inclusive Youth Music Initiative is to sit alongside the Pipe Band, which will provide opportunities to young people, particularly those with additional support needs, to become involved in learning Pipes and Drums. Ross, who has a learning disability and Autism, was awarded a lifetime Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacturing & Commerce (RSA) in 2016 as part of collaboration between the RSA and the Scottish Commission for Learning Disabilities (SCLD). Ross has used his award as the springboard for the development of his long-held ambition to develop accessible Pipe music.

Band members will also be supported to study for music and tutoring qualifications in association with the RSPBA.

With the award I have had Highland Bagpipe tutoring with Fraser Fifield, which has helped me further develop my style, technique, embellishments and improvisation. I was lucky to get some lessons from such an inspiring person. The award has been really useful as I wouldn’t have been able to get this progressive one to one tutoring locally. I have had a lot of musical commitments to date and up and coming until April/May with my school (Aberdeen City Music School, our annual concert), my National 5 exams and performances with my bands I’m in so I haven’t used all of the award yet.  The plan is to have more lessons with Fraser (including some Skype lessons which will save on travel) and I have asked Ross Ainslie as well.

Thank you once again for the award.