Sound Post V O L U M E 1 5 N O . 1 - S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 IN THIS ISSUE: MUI RTÉ National Symphony Orches - tra Section Committee, 2016-2017 Taoiseach launches ambitious five- year culture plan SIPTU Services Conference adopts MUI-related resolution The MUI RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra Section Committee, 2016-2017, l-r, Katie Performers call for fair treatment in Tertell (cello), Niall O’Loughlin (cello), Brona FitzGerald (violin), Mary Wheatley (violin) the digital world and Elaine Clark (violin). Photo: Nekrasius Aurimas Vision for Irish Orchestras briefs Senators on lamentable state of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra Taoiseach Launches Ambitious MUI backs call for Irish music quota on radio stations 5-Year Culture Plan Vanbrugh Quartet recipient of NCH 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award December 2016 saw the launch by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, of TG4 Gradam Awards 2017 Creative Ireland , an ambitious new five-year cultural plan. Ninetieth birthday celebration of Also present at the launch were the Minister for Arts, Heather Dermot Doolan, Secretary, Irish Humphreys, and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Actors’ Equity Association 1947-1985 Donohue. According to Humphreys, the initiative was inspired by the “extraordinary public response” to the 1916 Centenary Book on Irish-Soviet relations by SIPTU member launched in Liberty Programme. “This year thousands of cultural events were held Hall around the country”, she said. We now want to build on the success of the commemorations, she added. Reviews Times Past Significantly, the Taoiseach is chairing a new Government Obituaries committee dedicated to achieving the objectives of the plan, while a dedicated programme office is being set up within the Interval Quiz Department of Arts. MUI RTÉ freelance orchestral daily rates The first priority of this initiative will be the drafting of a five-year Pat O’Kelly on Brian Boydell “Creative Children” plan, which will “enable every child to access tuition in music, drama, art and coding”. Tim Thurston on the parochialism of music lovers John Swift on the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss junior Continued on page 14 Sound Post | SPRING 2017 Performers call for fair treatment in the digital world Key representatives of the FAIR IN - TERNET campaign, which repre - sent over 500,000 musicians, singers, actors and dancers in Europe, gathered on 5th December 2016 for their yearly event in Brussels to take stock of the Com - mission’s draft Directive on Copy - right with European Commission officials, Members of the European Parliament and Member States’ representatives. The fair remuneration of per - formers from on-demand serv - ices (iTunes, Netflix, Spotify, etc) was at the heart of the discus - sion with unanimous support MUI delegation at SIPTU Services Division Conference, 24th November 2016, l-r, Eamon from performers for the Euro - Murray (VP), Niamh Parsons (EC) and Liam Kennedy (EC). Photo: Murray Collection pean Parliament and Member States to make key changes to the current draft Directive. The following motion submitted SIPTU Services by the Arts and Culture Sector Following the adoption in was carried: September 2016 of the draft Conference Directive on Copyright by the Euro - The Arts and Culture [Sec - pean Commission, the European Adopts MUI- tor] values the membership Parliament and Council of the Eu - and participation of musi - ropean Union are now working to amend the current draft proposal. Related cians within the Musicians’ Union of Ireland and recog - The FAIR INTERNET coalition calls Resolution nises the difficulties in or - on the European Parliament and ganising freelance Member States to ensure that per - musicians in to the union. SIPTU’s Services Division Biennial formers receive a fair share of on - Accordingly, conference Delegate Conference was held in line revenues, through an calls on the Divisional Liberty Hall, Dublin, from 24th to unwaivable remuneration right for Committee to support the 25th November 2016. Represent - digital uses of their work, collected sector in reinvigorating ing the Musicians’ Union of Ire - from digital platforms such as their efforts to develop the iTunes, Netflix, Spotify, etc, which land (MUI) were Executive Musicians’ Union of Ireland make the performances available Committee members, Eamon with particular emphasis on demand and subject to manda - Murray (Vice-President), Liam on organising freelance tory collective management. Kennedy and Niamh Parsons. musicians. Among those present were Ethel The FAIR INTERNET coalition calls Buckley (Divisional Organiser), The conference concluded with on the European Commission to Denis Hynes (Arts and Culture the performance of two songs, reconsider its current position and Sector Organiser) and Graham James Connolly and Bread and its weak proposals contained in the Macken (MUI Organiser). Former Roses , sung by MUI EC member, draft Directive on Copyright in the MUI Secretary, John Swift, Niamh Parsons. Digital Single Market which does attended as an observer. not strengthen European culture. 2 Sound Post | SPRING 2017 VIO Briefs Senators on Lamentable State of the RTÉ NSO As part of a series of meetings with politicians and other prominent figures in Irish life, Vision for Irish Orchestras (VIO), the body formed in 2013 to challenge the downgrading of the RTÉ orchestras and orchestral music generally, met Senators Ivana Bacik and Ged Nash, at Leinster House, on 30th November 2016. The VIO delegation, composed of David Carmody, William (Bill) Dowdall and John Swift, briefed the senators on the diminution of the RTÉ National Symphony Or - chestra (NSO) which, since 2011, has been reduced by ten instru - The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra Photo: RTÉ mentalists, or 11.2 per cent, from eighty-nine to the present level of seventy-nine. Within those fig - Aodán Ó Dubhghaill, Head of RTÉ ment appreciates the national ures, the string section has fallen Lyric fm, and combining these cultural significance and value of from sixty to fifty-one players, a two positions, RTÉ has further its orchestras, and is prepared, reduction of 15 per cent. In addi - downgraded the two RTÉ orches - not alone to reverse the damage tion, regular educational resi - tras and its other performing already inflicted on these bodies, dencies and national touring groups. That is to say nothing but to develop them to their full programmes of symphonic about the downgrading of RTÉ potential. music have been virtually aban - Lyric fm. doned. Other signs of neglect in - clude RTÉ’s failure to fill the A specific matter raised with the vacancies of principal conductor senators was a deplorable and in the two orchestras, and to unacceptable RTÉ management leave unfilled for over four years plan effectively to transform the the position of principal guest two orchestras into a single pool conductor of the RTÉ NSO. of players, while retaining the names of both orchestras. Imple - The briefing also included the re - mentation of such a culturally cent restructuring of the man - appalling proposal would result agement of the RTÉ Performing in the amalgamation of the two Groups which is a further mani - orchestras in everything but festation of the diminution of the name. two RTÉ orchestras. Hitherto, John O’Kane had been Executive This lamentable state of affairs Director of the RTÉ Performing raises the question as to whether Aodán Ó Dubhghaill Photo: RTÉ Groups. By replacing him with anyone in senior RTÉ manage - 3 Sound Post | SPRING 2017 Authority of Ireland has recom - Artists in Residence at the NCH mended that a minimum per - and winners of the London Inter - centage of Irish music be played national String Quartet Competi - on Irish radio but this has been tion, 1988, the Vanbrugh Quartet ignored and it is clear a legal has enjoyed a successful career in basis for such a quota is essen - Europe, the Americas and the Far tial. Members of the MUI, which East. is an affiliate of SIPTU, will work with all parties and politicians Composed of Gregory Ellis (violin), who wish to assist in making this Keith Pascoe (violin), Simon Aspell proposal a reality.” (viola) and Christopher Marwood (cello), and based in Cork since 1986, the Quartet has also dedi - cated itself to bringing string quar - Vanbrugh tet music to audiences throughout Ireland. MUI observers at the Dail debate, l-r, Quartet Eamon Murray (VP) and Liam Kennedy In 1996, the Quartet founded the (EC) . Photo: Murray Collection Receives NCH West Cork Music Festival and the group has overseen its emergence 2016 Lifetime as one of Europe’s most vibrant MUI backs call music festivals. The Festival’s mas - Achievement terclass programme, supported by for Irish music the National String Quartet Foun - Award dation, offers inspiration and sup - quota on radio port to Ireland’s younger generations of chamber musi - The Vanbrugh Quartet was the re - cians. stations cipient of the National Concert Hall (NCH) 2016 Lifetime Achievement The Vanbrugh Quartet has Award at a gala concert at the NCH The Musicians Union of Ireland consistently championed the work on 20th November 2016. Hosted by (MUI) has voiced its support for of Irish composers, commissioning RTÉ broadcaster, Áine Lawlor, the a Bill, which was debated in the and performing numerous new concert featured guests Michael Dáil on 14th December 2016, works both in Ireland and abroad. Collins (clarinet), Cara O’Sullivan seeking to set a minimum quota The Quartet’s extensive and (soprano), Hugh Tinney (piano), for the amount of music pro - critically acclaimed discography Barry Douglas (piano), Chi-Chi duced by Irish artists to be includes the complete Beethoven Nwanoku (double bass) and Ortús played on radio stations . Quartets. Festival Players. Commenting on the matter, MUI Organiser, Graham Macken, said: “The Bill proposed by Labour TD, Willie Penrose, seeks to amend the Broadcasting Act, 2009, so that a minimum quota of airtime is allotted by stations for the broadcast of Irish music of all genres.