2003 Education Bursary Winners
In 2003 the Fame Academy Education Bursary funded five students to the tune of £37,500 for three years while they pursued careers in music.
Vishal Gopal - Voice / Rapper
Vishal has been very busy since winning his bursary. He recently went to L.A. for a video shoot for a single called 'Nach Ke' with D-boy, whose project the track is on, and Swiss (so Solid), who was also a bursary winner. The video is play listed on Channel U, Fizz TV, Zee TV, and Vishal is hoping for MTV to pick it up soon.
He has featured on another video in which 11 Asian rappers got together on The Game beat for 'One Blood’, a big hip hop tune last year. Vishal was also the first 'Future Friction' on the BBC Asian network show Friction and recently was on the Radio 1 Bobby and Nihal show.
Over the last 2 years, as well as finishing his own mix-tape and album, Vishal has been working with other producers, rappers and singers such as Mentor(2 point 9), Middleman and Mr Kay(Club Asia), Sharifa Shi(Cynagetic).
When he first received the bursary Vishal attended a six-month course in electronic music production before setting up a home pre-production studio in his bedroom. He produced a 17 track CD, with one of the tracks getting played on Radio 1. He then travelled around India where he learnt more about Punjabi music sources and its influence on UK - Asian music. He is hoping to release his first solo material this summer.
Shona Kipling - piano accordion
Shona is studying Traditional Music at the University of Newcastle and has used the bursary for a PA system, flights to Ireland and van hire when she ran a music summer school for children in rural Kerry. She has is recording a new album and her bursary money will mean she can use a professional photographer and get the best in CD production technology.
This year Shona has been booked to perform at various venues across the UK from Derbyshire to Wales, London to Warwick. She is also a regular performer at many folk clubs and is running workshops in Barnsley early in the year. During 2005 Shona was invited to Celtic Colours, regarded as perhaps the greatest folk festival in the world based in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Danny Allinson - Xylophone
After winning his bursary Danny performed in a charity concert, raising £2,300 in a single evening. He started a jazz quintet, which won an Outstanding Performance Award and performed at the Albert Hall after The Proms. He has performed on the BBC's Songs of Praise as a member of the house band and in the percussion sections of 'West Side Story' and 'Oklahoma'. Danny also performs in numerous other gigs with his band and quartet.
Danny runs education projects in Darlington, Redcar and Stockton, which create music for the local area.
Daniel Powell - Tenor horn
After winning his bursary Daniel travelled to Scotland to meet his mentor, John Wallace who suggested learning the French Horn as a secondary instrument, which he purchased with bursary funds. Daniel was appointed principal horn at the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain at their Easter course and went on to win the horn section of the Katie Ogden Memorial contest.
Daniel has been training at the Royal Northern College of Music and was contacted by the Young Ambassador band and asked to join them on tour during 2006 in America.
David Rimbault - Violin
David attended the International Summer Academy at the Mozarteum in Salzburg after he won his music bursary and planned to go to Graz in Austria to continue studying.
He has purchased a new violin, recorded with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in Manchester and played in concerts at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall both through college and professional engagements and recitals.
David has also given a solo performance for a music society in Leeds and played during the annual Children in Need appeal in Preston leading an 11 piece ensemble.
He trained at the Royal Northern College of Music.