At 108 years old, the Feis Ceol is truly a national institution, and today it's more competitive than ever, writes Rosita Boland
It's Wednesday in the RDS Concert Hall, and you can smell the ambition in here; the atmosphere is intense. It's the second week of the Feis Ceol, now sponsored by Siemens, and this morning, people are competing for the Dr J.J.O'Reilly Cup in the Junior Pianoforte Concerto, for ages 12 to under 17.
I arrive just before the 10th candidate, Ema Ozaki (15) from Glenageary, Co Dublin, plays Beethoven's Concerto No 1 in c minor, 1st movement. Even I know this sounds good. Her accompanist sounds quite good too.
All the other competitors concentrate hard on listening to their rivals' performances; you can spot them immediately since they are virtually the only people in the hall. It's a shame the Feis competitions in general are not better attended by the public; the standard of playing is so high, the range of competitions is huge, and an audience would add to the sense of occasion for the performers.
There is tension in the room when the 12 competitors finish their concertos, and adjudicator Timothy Ravenscroft stands up to deliver his verdicts in a cut-glass English accent. The Feis Ceol, very sensibly, does not use Irish adjudicators to judge their own, with the exception of the Irish language song competitions. The world of classical music in Ireland is a small one: most of the students know each other, and therefore all the teachers and potential judges would definitely know each other. Being objective in those circumstances would be very difficult.
The adjudication procedure is the same for every competition: the adjudicator sits up front at a table, solitary and impressive, taking copious notes. At the end of competition, they deliver a verbal criticism to everyone. Competitors can collect the adjudicator's written notes at the end. Winners are announced immediately after each competition.
Ravenscourt leaves Ema Ozaki's performance to last for his comments. He describes it as "sparkling, technically assured, and outstanding". She wins the competition. The accompanist, who I think sounds quite good, turns out to be John O'Conor, director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
"The piano is definitely competitive," says Orla Hayes (15), from Portumna in Galway, rolling her eyes afterwards. "I do singing as well and that's not as bad. With singing, it's about your voice and everyone sounds different, but with piano, it's all technique."
Evan McGarrigle (15) from Donegal has come second. "When you get the list of names, you do look at them to see who you recognise. Your heart sinks when you see certain names."
"Like studying the form at the bookies," agrees his dad Noel.
How long has Ema, the winner, been playing piano?
"Since six," Ema and her mother, Tomiko, say together. "No, since five," her father, Hiro immediately corrects. "She plays since she was five."
Ema practises up to four hours a day on schooldays, longer at weekends. She is not sure if she wants to make music her career, she also likes maths and science. What does she like about playing the piano? There is a long silence. She shakes her head, and says nothing, not a word. Perhaps this is the only answer, for when you practise piano an average of 28 hours a week, how would you begin to express what you like about it?
The annual Feis Ceol is in its 108th year, and has long been a cultural Irish institution. This Feis is purely for classical music students, unlike the Fleadh Ceol, which is for traditional music. This year, some 8,000 students from all around the country will have taken part in 170 competitions at the RDS by the time the Feis ends tomorrow, after a fortnight. Exactly 100 years ago, James Joyce came third in the tenor solo. Other past winners include singers Bernadette Greevy, Ronan Tynan and Regina Nathan; pianists John O'Conor and Finghin Collins; and violinist Cora Venus Lunny.
This year, the number of entrants in competitions ranged from 64 in the Girls' Vocal to only one in Junior Harp. When there is nobody else to compete against, you play to a standard. Almost as difficult must be competing against only one other person; the musical two-horse race.
Across in the Merrion Room, the Senior Harp is taking place in just these circumstances, with its two entrants, Clodagh Haughton from Wicklow and Anneke Hodnett (17), from Lisnagry in Limerick.
"Senior Harp is not a competition you enter lightly," explains Áine Ní Dhubhghaill, Anneke's teacher, "so you only get the cream of competitors."
Both girls are using Clodagh's concert harp - these harps cost €20,000 upwards - as Anneke couldn't transport hers from Limerick. The girls are each playing set test pieces; Nocturne from Variations on a Theme of Mozart by Glinka; and Oriental Dance by Khatchaturian. They are beautiful pieces and to my untrained ear, both performances sound terrific and technically indistinguishable.
There may be only two in the competition, but there is the exact same edge in the room when they are waiting for ajudicator Paul Gregory's comments as there is in the competitions with larger entries.
"And how do you pronounce your name?" asks Gregory, before he comments on Clodagh's playing. "Clod-a?"
"Clo-dah," says Clodagh patiently.
"This piece must not in any way sound slow or in any way sound quick," Gregory says of Anneke's playing of Oriental Dance; a comment which sounds quite baffling to a non-musician, but at which Anneke nods her head in comprehension.
Clodagh gets 88 points. Anneke gets 91 and wins the cup and the glory.
There is a moment where you feel for Clodagh; for only two to be in the competition and for the other person to win while playing your instrument - well, it would take a very generous spirit for a body not to mind just a little bit, even when you are the cream of competitors.
• The Siemens Feis Ceol Prizewinners' ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Concert is at 3pm in the RDS Concert Hall, Dublin, tomorrow. Tickets are available at the door.