Superstar DJ inspires hometown students
Ayrshire College music students are on the right track after meeting one of the UK’s top DJs for a special Q&A event last week.
The College was delighted to welcome dance music maestro Ewan McVicar to its Ayr Campus before he took the stage at the weekend to headline Ayr’s Pavilion Festival 2024.
Ewan has revitalised the town’s club culture — his commitment to building a local scene in Ayr, combined with his DJ skills and fearless approach to production have made him one of the most promising artists of his generation.
Nominated in the Breakthrough DJ category at the DJ Mag Best of British Awards in 2020, the 30-year-old is in high demand across the UK for club nights and festivals.
So everyone at the College was thrilled when he took time out from his busy schedule to drop in to meet students studying music and those from HIVE (Hope, Inspiration and Vision in Education) courses.
Ewan McVicar said: “It means the world to me that I can do this (the Festival) for my hometown and just bring everything back to where I started and give something back to the community as well.
“As I've travelled, the one thing I miss is the beach and the sea, so coming back here is the dream and it's going to come true every year.”
Ewan can certainly relate to life as a student — after spending five years at university studying to be a primary teacher — but he took a chance to follow his dream and his passion for music.
On that momentous decision six years ago, he said: “I was kind of lost and I was about to give up music and then I was like, ‘I need a fresh start’. The week I moved down to England I got signed to Patrick Topping's [Trick] label and my career went from there.
“But I've never forgotten where I come from. I go on about Ayr as much as I can.”
Patrick Devlin, Curriculum Manager for Music, Sound Production and Performing Arts, Ayrshire College, said: “Ewan’s Q&A with our students and staff was excellent.
“We benefitted greatly from hearing his unique insight into his journey in music — which was inspirational, including the influence of some of our ex-students on his career.
“His willingness to answer questions, pose for selfies, as well as taking the time to visit our department and listen to some of our students’ work, was a great example of his humility and showed a genuine commitment to his local music community.
“On behalf of Ayrshire College, I would like to thank him for taking the time to come along and spend time with us and hope we can connect on future partnerships in the near future.”
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