The resignations are piling up in the wake of the amalgamation of Ireland's youth orchestras, so will the board reinstate the two organisations, asks Michael Dervan

The heat generated by the decision to amalgamate Ireland's main national youth orchestras is far from dissipating. The number of resignations from the board now totals four, with Donagh Collins (a director of the London arts management agency Askonas Holt, and brother of the pianist Finghin) and Una McMahon (orchestra manager of the younger national youth orchestra), being followed by Donagh Power (orchestra manager of the senior national youth orchestra) and Caitríona Ryan (principal flautist of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra). The online petition protesting against the decision (www.ipetitions.com/petition/nyoi1) has collected more than 1,500 names, and virtually every page identifies well-known figures from the ranks of professional musicians, conductors and administrators.

The chairman of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, John Dennehy, states (Letter to the Editor, April 14th) that the decision to merge "was taken in the light of deeply considered research and reflection", and justifies the board's position in the light of the fact that: "In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of older players and third-level music students applying for places in the senior orchestra."

Dennehy's letter mentions a "present shortfall of some 40 players out of a total complement of 100". But the decision to merge two orchestras into one blithely ignores a range of other musical possibilities. The Ulster Orchestra runs a full season on a complement of 65 musicians, and there are many successful chamber orchestras with not much more than half that complement of players. The board has offered no explanation as to why 100 is the magic number. The reasons can hardly be musical, and the stark option chosen by the board has all the hallmarks of a decision based on fear and confusion.

The research that was presented to the board has been seen by The Irish Times. It reads like anything but the kind of "strategic review" the board has claimed it to be. It describes itself as a "report and discussion document" and opens with the information that it was based on "informal discussions" with "(a) board members, (b) administrative personnel, (c) present and past members of the orchestra, (d) Arts Council officers". The names of those consulted are not provided, and not a single source is quoted during its 1,300 words.

The report, prepared by board member Gerard Gillen, leaves no account of the views of the heads of Ireland's leading music schools nor of their string teachers, people who, more than any of those actually consulted, play a key role in the training of musicians who might choose to play in the orchestra. Parents, important stakeholders who actually pay for their children's participation, also get no hearing.

The soundings that were taken are clearly open to question. Among the four board resignations are those of two key administrative personnel.

THE ONLINE PETITION shows members of the orchestra past and present to be up in arms. And the Arts Council is believed to be viewing the major reduction in activity that will result from the amalgamation with serious concern. The effective cutting of an orchestra may have implications for Arts Council funding levels, as well as the support of the Department of Education and Science, and the orchestra's main commercial sponsor, Toyota Ireland, without whose long-standing commitment the orchestra would never have survived.

Although it is titled The Future of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, the report takes no account whatsoever of the financial implications of the appointment of a new general manager. The former general manager, Joanna Crooks, who gave notice of her departure in February 2006, worked on a voluntary basis, and the yet-to-be-appointed new general manager is to be salaried.

The report rightly points out that: "The position of general manager is crucial to the successful running of the organisation, and it is imperative that a person of commitment, energy, and vision, gifted with a clear ability to motivate young people and give leadership to all concerned, be found to take up this key position as soon as humanly possible." But it fails to draw any connection between the vacancy of this "crucial" post and the current problem of player recruitment.

The historical extent of that much-aired problem actually seems to be quite minor. For the Christmas 2006 course, says the report, the senior orchestra "had to be supplemented by the participation of five members from the younger orchestra". Given that player numbers and quality always fluctuate in youth orchestras, being five players short for a course run in the absence of a chief executive doesn't seem such a big deal. And until a new manager is in place things may well get worse rather than better.

Word on the grapevine has been that the board may be prepared to rescind its unpopular decision. But the board met last week and is sticking to its guns. The irony, of course, is that the furore caused by the ongoing amalgamation may well turn out to be a catalyst in increasing young players' interest in and commitment to the youth orchestras. The future may actually be rosy, in spite of the current board's strangely panicked behaviour. Time alone will tell.