The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has announced the recipients of the annual awards given to students on its internationally recognised jazz course.
Double bassist Ewan Hastie receives the Mark McKergow Prize for Jazz Improvisation and drummer Chun-Wei Kang receives the George Duncan Prize for Jazz Composition. Both awards come with a cash sum of £300.
In addition to these, the Alan McAuley Jazz Award, which comprises a certificate and $5000, this year goes to saxophonist Sean Megaw.
Discretion
This is an award designed to help with Career Development and is given at the discretion of the head of the jazz department, Special External Assessors, and External Examiners, to a musician or group of musicians in their final year.
The purpose of the award is to finance studio recording and production; promotion of their own materials (including digital performance); touring and travel.
All of the winners are already active on the local and national jazz scenes, with Ewan Hastie featuring regularly with trombonist Anoushka Nanguy and drummer Richard Glassby’s groups and Chun-Wei Kang and Sean Megaw leading their own bands as well as playing sidemen gigs.
I’m confident that our three award winners this year will also go on to be great adverts for our course
Tommy Smith
Tommy Smith, head of jazz at the RCS, said. “These are all worthy winners who are being rewarded for their hard work, diligence, and creativity.
"Previous winners have included the pianist Fergus McCreadie and saxophonist Matt Carmichael, who have both gone on to sign prestigious recording contracts and to represent Scotland and the RCS across Europe.
"I’m confident that our three award winners this year will also go on to be great adverts for our course.”
