The winner of Aberystwyth Arts Centre Ian McKellen Award 2022 has been announced, following recent interviews. The 2022 winner is Tom Mathias, first violinist in the Kuttner Quartet-in-residence at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, for the 2022-2023 season, who is studying a Solo Violin Performer Diploma at Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music. He will be awarded £500 to go towards the cost of his studies as part of this special award that was set up with funds donated during Sir Ian McKellen’s visit to the Arts Centre in 2019.
Tom said
‘Being chosen as the recipient of the Ian McKellen Award 2022 is a great honour for me and marks a step forward in my career as a violinist. This award will help in enabling me to continue studying and living in the USA, and I am very grateful to Sir Ian McKellen and the committee for supporting me in this way.’
Tom attended Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth and Penglais School, before going on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded a prestigious scholarship from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. He has represented Aberystwyth in the Urdd Eisteddfod, performing in the final of the Bryn Terfel Competition in 2019, and has appeared on BBC and S4C television and radio many times, both as a soloist and an orchestral player. Tom makes every effort to prioritise his Welsh performance opportunities and to promote and represent Wales wherever he performs.
Along with pursuing chamber music and orchestral studies, Tom is aiming to become an international solo violin performer. Committing years of his life to honing his musicianship and technical abilities and is now beginning to see the fruits of his labour with increasing concert engagements and invitations to coach and teach.
Tom was the unanimous choice from the Award’s interview panel, who were once again bowled over by the calibre of applicants for the award Creative Coordinator Laura Oliver said:
‘The standard of applications for the 2022 Award was incredibly high, the panel were blown away by the skills and passion of all the award applicants. Tom stood out as being particularly focused and passionate in his chosen career and he has a bright future ahead of him. He has achieved so much already at such a young age and Aberystwyth Arts Centre are happy to support him with this award.’
Tom follows in the footsteps of previous year’s winners. Osian Pearson (2021) who studied an MA in Editing at the prestigious National Film and Television School (NFTS), Cerys Havana Hickman (2020) who studied for a degree in Music (BMus) at Goldsmiths, University of London, and joint winners (2019) Owain Gruffydd, who studied at the University of Northampton studying for a BA Hons Degree in Acting, and Laura Baker who was working towards her BA Hons Degree in Ballet Education at the Royal Academy of Dance.
When Sir Ian McKellen came to perform at the Arts Centre in February 2019, all the money raised from ticket sales and donations during his visit was kept safe to be used for supporting the Arts Centre’s important work with young people. A special prize was established, the Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s Ian McKellen Award, open to a young person between the ages of 16 – 25 who intends to continue their vocational training in the creative arts – including, but not limited to, theatre, dance, and the visual arts. £500 is available annually to award for candidates who can demonstrate artistic promise and the passion for their artform, and who are in receipt of a place for study during the following academic year.
