Remarks at the Official Opening of the Second Premises in Ireland of The Brighton Institute of Modern Music
St Bridgid’s School, The Coombe, Dublin, 22nd January 2014
I am delighted to join you all here today for the launch of BIMM’s second programme in Dublin. I thank you all for that generous welcome and I also thank Dara Kilkenny for inviting me to join you all today.
An tráth a oirníodh mé mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, chuireas i bhfios go láidir a luachmhaire is atá sé, pobail chruthaitheacha a chur chun cinn. Creidim, maidir le forbairt na cruthaitheachta sa phobal seo ‘gainne agus le deiseanna féinléirithe a chinntiú, go ndéanann sé – i dteannta le saorántacht chomhlíontach a chur ar chumas an duine – an bhunsraith a leagan síos don fhostaíocht inbhuanaithe i dtionscail chruthaicheacha – agus go ndéanann sé ár bhforbairt shóisialta, chultúrtha agus eacnamaíoich a shaibhriú. Chomh maith leis sin cuireann sé go sainiúil le cáil na hÉireann mar thír ina dtacáitear go láidir leis an núálaíocht agus leis an gcruthaitheacht. Is é saothar ealaíontóirí agus oibrithe cultúir na hÉireann a choinnigh taca faoi cháil na hÉireann agus – in ainneoin gur chlis ar earnálacha eile den sochaí anseo is ansiúd – is féidir a rá go fiú gur chuir siad leis an gcáil sin.
[When I was inaugurated as President of Ireland, I stressed the value ofchampioning creative communities. I believe that encouraging the development of creativity in our society and ensuring opportunities for self expression, in addition to making a fulfilling citizenship possible, lay the groundwork for sustainable employment in creative industries and enrich our social, cultural and economic development. They also make a distinctive contribution to Ireland’s reputation as a country where innovation and creativity are strongly supported. It is in the work of Irish artists and cultural workers that Ireland’s reputation has been sustained and – despite the occasional failures in other sectors of society – even enhanced.]
Last year, I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the long awaited ‘Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland’. It was an event which provided a strong reminder of the great wealth of musical talent which has always existed in this country. I spoke, on that occasion, of how our musical tradition maps a changing Ireland, measured through the differing sounds that have emerged as our country grows and develops and changes; re-imagining, rethinking and adapting to an ever evolving and increasingly global world.
And therein, I think, lies the importance and significance of a programme like the one offered by the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. Artistic works, be they music, literature or paintings provide for us an important mirror which reflects the society and time in which they were created.
There can be little doubt that art plays a critical role in assisting us to understand the nature of a particular age and place in history. Art continually responds to the issues of the time, acting as a vehicle for addressing the anxieties and complexities of the everyday.
If, for instance, we look at the paintings of the 17th century we can see how novel and revolutionary stylistic works by painters like Caravaggio reflect the liberalism of a less hierarchical society as an emerging middle class began to access the arts for the first time.
If we read the great British writers of the 19th century we can see, in the works of artistic genii such as Charles Dickens or Elizabeth Gaskell, the desire for reform and the industrial unrest which was such a salient element of British society at that time.
And of course if we look at the music being written and performed by Irish artists during the late 20th century we can perceive in the work of U2, Enya and the Pogues, or indeed in the remarkable choreography of Riverdance, a new found confidence, an assured weaving of tradition and experiment, indicating an Irish society taking its place on a European and global stage.
At its most fundamental level art is driven by circumstance and by context and, even at its most experimental, cannot fail to provide, at the very least, a muted and diffused mirror of the prevailing society of the time.
As human beings, as we seek to flourish we have a basic need to convey and to pass on our experiences, and creativity lies at the very heart of that process. Art and reality are not obverse concepts occupying separate spaces within our communal psyche. Artistic works constitute a legacy passed on to future generations, allowing them to understand the culture which has influenced them while also interpreting such works within a changing society. They become the basis for a reinvention and re-crafting of the relationship with that society and go on in time to suggest how the current generation understands the world which they have inherited.
Music, like all other art forms, is a reflection of its time and programmes like the one we celebrate here today are an essential tool in equipping a new and emerging generation of creative and musical Irish talent to contribute to the current chapter of our national narrative; writing, performing and producing musical work which encapsulates a moment in time – marking and charting the early decades of the twenty first century.
Although only established in Dublin less than three years ago, the Brighton Institute of Modern Music has a proud track record in the United Kingdom where it was originally set up over ten years ago. Today BIMM can lay claim to some outstanding musicians, songwriters, producers, and of course to many other talented people who work at a wide variety of areas in the multi-faceted music industry.
In 2011, BIMM opened its first Irish premises in Francis Street and has since been performing a significant role in the identification, development and support of emerging Irish talent. I am delighted that it is now extending its role by opening this second premises, which will allow greater numbers of talented and dynamic students to engage with a vibrant, versatile and ever evolving music industry.
The range of areas covered by the programme is indeed remarkable and includes music theory; live performance, songwriting techniques, business development and many other modules which will allow its graduates every possible opportunity to play their part in the music industry. I was particularly impressed by the fact that the tutors on this course are, themselves, actively involved in the world of music and are so generously sharing their skill and knowledge with an emerging group of citizens who wish to leave their own footprint on the cultural landscape of our country.
I understand that the first group of students to benefit from BIMM’s presence here in Ireland will be graduating in 2015 and I have no doubt that many of them will progress to successful careers within the music industry. I am also confident that they will have come to a true understanding of how powerful a medium Arts can be and of the fundamental role it plays in the discovery of common meanings.
As we continue to move through the twenty first century, continuing generations of artists, writers and musicians will leave their indelible mark on Irish culture and on our cultural traditions.
It is important that they too, assist in the capturing of the issues and moods which make each era and each generational experience a unique and exceptional moment; one that may draw on a wealth of tradition as artists and their audiences continue to push boundaries, to experiment, and to broaden and deepen our great reputation for artistic success.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you all once again for welcoming me here today. I wish everyone involved in this exciting venture every success in the future; a future in which I am sure many of you will make your fellow Irish citizens very proud indeed.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.