Sir, – In his review of 2012 (Weekend Review, December 29th), Michael Dervan highlights as his “biggest disappointment” the curtailment of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra’s touring programme. Disappointment at the last-minute cancellation of the NSO tour for “budgetary” reasons was enormous in Galway and other regional centres.
There is no comparison between listening to a broadcast performance and hearing an orchestra “live”.
Surely it is time for the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to review the position of our only professional symphony orchestra and take steps to ensure its protection as a national cultural institution. – Yours, etc,