Music education needs coherent plan

HAVING been closely involved in the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland (NYOI) since its inception in 1970, I can empathise with Anne Ralph’s disappointment at the decision of the board to amalgamate its two existing youth orchestras (Irish Examiner letters, April 23).

To decry this is, quite rightly, the response of the many people whose experience of the orchestra has been entirely positive and who value its place in Ireland’s cultural landscape.

However, as chairperson of the Forum for Music in Ireland, I am concerned that this response may serve to mask the underlying issues that are the cause of the problems cited by the board — eg, the “recruitment of sufficient players of the requisite standard to support two orchestras”.

Is this, perhaps, because of the insufficient State support for music at local and regional level? It is obvious that equitable provision of the full range of quality instrumental teaching at local level creates the pool of players required to feed into a national orchestra of excellence.

While those holding opposing views in the case of the plight of the National Chamber Choir, and now the National Youth Orchestra, generate newspaper column inches, should we not also be seeing coverage of the fate of the music network feasibility study for the provision of local music services?

Should we not be reading about the progress of the arts and education committee?

Most importantly, should we not be finding out what politicians — who are now seeking our votes — will do for the cause of music and music education in Ireland, if elected?

It is worrying that the response to the crisis in the National Youth Orchestra has been largely based on sentimental attachment to the successes of the past, rather than to the reality of the present.

The orchestra’s board has declared its commitment to a continued review of the situation, and that is welcome.

However, until a coherent national strategy for music education in Ireland has been developed, we will continue to have sporadic outbursts of interest in particular issues, without any basic change in the bigger picture.

The state of music in Ireland deserves serious, well-informed debate.

Dr Evelyn Grant

Chairperson

Forum for Music in Ireland

19 Fishamble St

Temple Bar

Dublin 8