Music students come from all over Ireland learn the business at Coláiste Stíofáin Naofa on Cork city's outskirts. Catherine Foley reports.
They jam in the corridors on guitars, trombones, flutes and tambourines. It's a bit like the New York School for the Performing Arts, as featured in Fame. There's music in the air at Coláiste Stíofáin Naofa on the outskirts of Cork city. "It's not a star-making factory. We give people a healthy dose of reality," says Chris Ahern, founder and course director of this music, management and sound Post Leaving Certificate course.
Applicants come from all over the country to get a place on the one-year course (with the option of a second year), which has up to 40 places. Last year there were 200 applicants.
Is it a bit like the search for Popstars? "No," says one amused student, Jenny Ronan (23) from Kildimo, Co Limerick. "I'm allergic to the colour white," she says, laughing at the mention of the recent advertisements for the new group, Six. "It's funny to watch a programme like that being made. You realise how little people know. With this course, you can look at contracts with more knowledge," she says. "You can be in control. But," she adds, "the pop industry is different to the music industry." She and her fellow classmates study recording contracts, publishing contracts and "what not to sign, which is more important", Ahern says.
Ruth Gordon (21), from Ballynacally in Co Clare, who has played the piano since the age of six, is "ultimately going to pursue sound and in years to come, production", so the course is great, she says. Having completed a BA in music and Irish at UCC, she applied for the PLC course. She loves it. As part of their studies, she says, "we rehearse for two hours every evening. We are in groups - we do cover versions and our own songs. It's about working out arrangements, finding out what it's like to work in a band. We organise ourselves, we have gigs. We do the stage and sound, sell tickets, promotion, and do every aspect including the finance. It's great fun." Yes, she confirms, they jam in the corridors all the time.
Students on the course are currently in the 19 to 54 age group. They come from all over the country, including the North. Lynsey McKernan (19), from Middletown, Co Armagh, who was "brought up with music", says "it's exactly what I wanted to do", which was to learn more about writing songs and "how to get into the industry".
The singer Sinéad Lohan is a graduate. Another graduate is Niamh Ní Charra, a fiddle player with Riverdance. Those who graduate from the one-year course are awarded a certificate from the Further Education Training Awards Council (FETAC).
Applicants to the course must have completed their Leaving Cert. As well as this "we look for experience - that they've been writing songs, performing and that they have a good work ethic," says Ahern. The course covers the three main areas - reading music, sound engineering and performing. "That's a rare combination. Aptitude, experience and academic achievement," he says.
The full-time course has been running since 1989. Some students opt to carry on and do a second year, such as Jamie Fennessy (21) from Waterford city who is in first year. His intention is to complete second year because, he says, "you specialise in whatever you want to do."
Ahern is a successful singer and songwriter himself. He did a tour with Frances Black recently and his album, Certain, which was released last year, is often to be heard on radio. He is a also a member of Stargazers, who toured regularly on the continent, now concentrating on festivals and corporate work.
Apart from the personal fulfilment and satisfaction, writing, he says, "keeps me up to date with what's going on". And this hands-on knowledge of performing and composing means that "I wouldn't ask them (the students) to do something that I wouldn't do myself".
For information regarding the syllabus, contact info@chrisahern.com
