Madam, - We were most disappointed that The Irish Times did not review the European Union Youth Orchestra's concert in Cork's City Hall on Sunday, August 21st - an outstanding concert by one of Europe's finest orchestras.
The EUYO is made up of about 140 young musicians aged 14 to 24 representing all 25 member-states of the European Union. The players are selected each year from more than 4,000 candidates who take part in auditions throughout the EU.(The Irish auditions have for many years been organised by the Music Association of Ireland.) The selected musicians then rehearse important works under world-renowned conductors and perform these on at least two major tours each year in the concert halls of European cities and at famous music festivals. The orchestra has also toured many countries outside Europe.
In Cork the EUYO was conducted by the eminent British conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner who had chosen a challenging and unusual programme of two works by Ravel - his Rapsodie Espagnol and the song cycle Sheherazade - ravishingly sung by the brilliant young Argentinian mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink, and William Walton's angry, bitter but finally redemptive Symphony No.1.
It is a great tribute to Cork's music lovers that on an atrocious night of heavy rain and thunder there was a near-capacity audience in the hall who gave orchestra and conductor a prolonged standing ovation.
It should not be forgotten that five young Irish musicians were selected to play in this year's EUYO and another five were chosen for the reserve panel. This is an indication of the great talent and dedication of these young people and their teachers and the encouragement of their parents.
It is to be hoped that the next time the EUYO visits this country to give a concert, it will be better served by The Irish Times and, indeed, by the media generally. - Yours, etc,
RODNEY SENIOR,
Chairman,
Music Association of Ireland,
South Great George's Street,
Dublin 2.