Madam, - The board of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland has acknowledged the contribution over the years of Toyota Ireland, the Department of Education and Science, the Arts Council, RTÉ Lyric FM and The Irish Times. Perhaps these bodies were consulted over recent board decisions.
The board failed to credit or consult parents and players who pay up to 50 per cent of the total budget of the NYOI and are probably the largest single body funding the orchestras. (That they are such substantial contributors is in itself a disgrace, resulting from the scandalous under-funding of music education in Ireland.)
The baffling decision to "amalgamate" the two existing NYOI orchestras, illogical on artistic or educational grounds, has caused such shock-waves among players, parents, teachers and musicians because the board carried out little, if any, research or consultation with any of these groups.
It is simply untrue that there is a shortage in Ireland of proficient young musicians of the requisite standard. There are plenty, including string players.
If some of the most gifted young musicians are not applying to the NYOI for audition, why is this so? This is recruitment, marketing and motivational challenge, not a structural one.
If the rationale for the board's decision is purely financial, it should clearly say so and lay out the facts. Perhaps Ireland, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, will decide that it will not support a youth orchestra.
Perhaps we will choose to have a children's youth orchestra of 12- to 18-year-olds (like the English National Youth Orchestra), or a young adults' youth orchestra of 18 - to 24-year-olds.
Amalgamating the two orchestras, which cater for quite distinct age-groups - into one large orchestra for 14- to 21-year olds - will not nurture young players, will not improve performance standards and is certainly not the solution to recruitment challenges.
Few over-18s will relish playing alongside children aged 14. Nor are the high-quality players likely to be attracted by the removal of the opportunity to work with conductors of international calibre. Few prudent parents will want their 14-year-old heading off for a week's residential rehearsals with young adults. It is manifestly inappropriate and astonishing that the Department of Education and Science should support this.
The board's misguided decision smacks of displacement activity in a management vacuum. The board has failed to recruit a new general manager despite having over a year to do so. It should stop moving the deck-chairs around and start avoiding the iceberg.
- Yours, etc,
MARY CONNELL, Howth Road, Dublin 3.