JOHN KINSELLA,
Madam, - Having read your report on the Aosdána general assembly of February 4th, with its rather eye-catching headline, I feel it should be mentioned that the item which sparked off the debate was omitted from your account of the meeting.
This was a report to the assembly by the Aosdána composer group of its recent discussions with the director of radio and senior management from the music department and Lyric FM about the virtual disappearance of Irish art music, as performed and recorded by RTE itself, from Lyric FM schedules other than in live broadcasts or once-off deferred relays of live broadcasts.
Contrary to the impression given by your report about relations between RTE and Aosdána, our group is happy to say that we were received with the greatest courtesy by the director of radio who left the door open to further talks at any time. So, we have no complaints on that score.
However, our report to the assembly did, sadly, have to say it was confirmed to us that it was not now Lyric FM's policy to include RTE's library of its own recordings of music by Irish composers as an integral part of its programming. The situation now is that on the one hand the national performing groups are commissioning, performing and recording new Irish music and on the other Lyric FM is not considering them for further use after the first broadcast.
This is contrary to RTE's hitherto supportive policies and key role in music. It must surely also be contrary to the spirit of RTE's public service remit and is a serious blow to the well-being and further progress of Irish art music which has so few points of access to the listening public. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN KINSELLA, Marley Rise, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.