2008 Awardee: Stephanie Irvine

We are very grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for the confidence they have shown in Stephanie. It has given her a real boost. (Sally Beamish, mother)

Biography

Twelve-year old Stephanie from Gartmore is both a strong singer and extremely talented clàrsach player. She has already recorded a Burns song for use on the soundtrack of ITV’s South Bank Show, and she sang the role of Catriona in Shenachie in the Highland Quest finals broadcast on BBC TV.

From the start Stephanie displayed a natural talent for clàrsach playing far above average for her age. She is involved in a number of groups at her school and participates in the school orchestra, playing challenging parts especially arranged for the harp.

Stephanie is also interested in composing, developing arrangement ideas and is a natural communicator through her music. She is a talent to watch out for in the future.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award helped Stephanie to purchase a professional harp to help her development as a musician.

Since the Award

Stephanie writes that since getting her new harp, a Starfish ‘Glencoe’ model, the difference in the sound her playing makes is “incredible” and that having her own instrument has helped her to have “a greater sense of my own musical identity”. Stephanie plays in her school orchestra, performed at the official opening of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park Visitor Centre and at the opening of her own school new building.

We are very grateful to the Dewar Arts Awards for the confidence they have shown in Stephanie. It has given her a real boost. (Sally Beamish, mother)