Sir, - At the National Concert Hall last Wednesday, Ms Sile de Valera gave the opening lecture at what was advertised as an hour-and-a-half open debate on the early development and professional training of young professional musicians in Ireland. An experienced audience of people who have been committed to music in Ireland for decades turned out to ask the Minister questions about this critical vacuum in the national school curriculum.
However, to suit the Minister's own schedule, she turned up 10 minutes early, started delivering her hard-boiled official speech, and left shortly after the advertised starting time. Before bolting for the door, the Minister answered one question posed by a brave soul who had recovered from the shock of her impending premature departure sufficiently quickly to blurt out his question. He was seeking funding to have musical instruments taught to 500 inner-city schoolchildren and was being kicked backwards and forwards by the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
Predictably, the Minister's answer was that it was an education issue and did not come under the remit of her Department. Why then did she bother to agree to open what was to have been an open debate on the topic of early development and professional training of young professional musicians in Ireland? And would there have been such a debate had she stayed to answer our questions? Why didn't her Cabinet colleague in the Department of Education give the opening lecture instead?
Following this disastrous performance, the event was rescued by a truly superb lecture by Michael Dervan, music critic for The Irish Times, who accepted the invitation at short notice and, from years of experience, was able to speak "off the cuff" about the complete lack of attention and funding to early development and professional training of young professional musicians in Ireland.
Uplifted by Mr Dervan's frank analysis, the entire audience decided to form a group to lobby all political parties on this matter before the next general election. Views/submissions on this topic from people all around the country (to be sent to the address below) are welcome. - Yours, etc.,
Linda O'Shea Farren, Fitzroy House, Raglan Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
Email: fitzroy@indigo.ie Fax: (01) 6670060.