RCS reveals winners of 2019 Jazz Awards

Published: 28/06/2019

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has announced the winners of its 2019 Jazz Awards.

Third year BMus saxophonist Kornelijus Pukinskis won the Fog Arts Prize in Jazz Improvisation, presented to a jazz student who made the most significant advancement in the pursuit of excellence in improvisation.

The winner of the George Duncan Prize for Jazz Composition was Ben MacDonald, first year Master’s guitarist, for composing an outstanding original work. Fourth year BMus double bassist Mark Hendry won the Joe Temperley Prize for Jazz Arranging, awarded at the discretion of the Head of the Jazz to any jazz student who expertly and imaginatively arranged a jazz standard or an original composition.

Professor Dr Tommy Smith OBE, Head of Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “Congratulations to each of our wonderful award winners. Every year it is a great challenge to choose the winners of our three distinguished RCS Jazz Awards.

“The awards really underline the high level of accomplishment reached by our students. I’d also like to thank our sponsors of the jazz awards, without whom there would be no prizes.”

More information on studying Jazz at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is available at: rcs.ac.uk/courses/bmus-with-honours/jazz/