Episode 2
We meet our students and teachers halfway through the academic year. Things are starting to get very real.
The new building is still not open, but the show must go on. Internationally renowned Conductor Mihhail Gerts has flown to lead the Philharmonia Orchestra at RIAM. It’s not just the third level students that have a big performance coming up, the junior students have concerts that they are having to prepare for too. Rohan Harron is having his composition performed as part of a Quartweet workshop for the first time and Rachael has her first big performance since her jaw surgery. Seán is beginning to feel the impact of having to support himself financially and keep up with the practice expected as a student of the Royal Irish Academy. Vocal Masters student, Anastasia is caught up in the housing crisis and has to move three times in three months. She often has to carry her suitcases into RIAM. Life isn’t the easiest for her at the moment but she knows that this is the life she wants to lead.
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Face The Music is an exciting new 3-part observational documentary series from Animo TV that follows the students and teachers of The Royal Irish Academy of Music during a pivotal year in its 175- year history.
We join director, Deborah Kelleher at the start of the new academic year as she deals with significant delays to a €25 million building project that has already experienced significant overruns due to the pandemic and the rising costs of building materials.
Undeterred, Deborah knows as the leader of this internationally renowned institution that that the show must go on.
Throughout this 3-part series we meet the students and teachers that dedicate their lives to pursuit of excellence in music. If classical music seemed elitist in the past, Deborah is doing her utmost to break down barriers and make it accessible to everybody. However, this is still a world that strives for perfection and the demands on students are significant.
As Deborah says, “ You have to audition to get in here.”
Matt and Jennifer Fitzsimons made the decision to send their children to the Academy before they were born, after seeing a segment on Nationwide. They leave their home in Co. Meath at 6.30am every Saturday to bring their 5 children to lessons. Clara, Matthew, Daire, Oscar and Rossa play 11 instruments between them, as well as a number of traditional instruments. All 5 children have to practice at the same time to facilitate all of the rehearsals that need to happen.
Ríona Schaill, age 12 is an extremely gifted pianist. She studies with Dr. Therese Fahy, one of the most sought-after teachers in the Academy. Ríona practises for hours every day – she gets up at 6:50am every morning and resumes her practice after school. She gets a day off on her birthday and Christmas, or when she wins something. Ríona is competing in the 14–17-year-old category at Feis this year. How will she deal with the pressure?
Seán Shannon, 18 years old, taught himself to play piano on his sister’s toy piano when he was a child. Seán believes that money can be a barrier to a classical music education, but he taught himself to play by watching Youtube videos. He is preparing to leave his family home in Ennis for the first time to move to Dublin. Will he be able to cope with the high-pressured environment of the RIAM?
4th Year student Rachael Connaghan is about to undergo jaw surgery to improve her singing. She is also due to audition for a part in the RIAM Opera. Will she recover in time, or will the surgery derail her ambitions?
Anastasia Sereda is a 27- year-old, Masters Vocal Student from Boston. She says that she doesn’t like performing but is compelled to sing. Unfortunately, that has to happen in front of an audience. Her performance anxiety is so bad that she stopped singing for a number of years. A family friend heard her voice and insisted that she come to Ireland to study at the Royal Irish Academy. Upon her arrival in Ireland, Anastasia gets caught up in the housing crisis and has to move three times in her first 3 months at the Academy. She often carries her suitcases into the college with her. She rents a room with a family that insist she vacate the property between the hours of 9am-5pm. She spends her time in the coffee shops of Dublin as she tries to keep up with her studies. Unlike Rachael, Anastasia is allowed to audition for the opera by video and lands a lead part. How will she manage with such a big performance?
Rafael Dale is a 16-year-old percussionist from Dublin. When he was 3 years old, he heard Phil Collins on the television, and from that young age he decided that this was the life he wanted to pursue. Rafael’s parents are originally from The Philippines. They want to give Rafael the opportunities that they didn’t have and travel in from Finglas to Dublin city centre by bus to bring him his lunch in-between rehearsals on a Saturday. Rafael came second in the Feis last year – this was the first time that percussion featured in Feis. To his disappointment, there are not enough competitors this year, so the category has been cancelled. He feels that percussion can be a lonely instrument, but he is focused on achieving his goals. When he is given on loan to the RIAM Symphony Orchestra it is just the challenge he needs to keep his focus.
Andrew O’Brien is 11 years of age and plays the cello. Andrew has a very philosophical outlook on life. He believes in shaking off hurtful comments from bullies, because you have every right to be whoever you want to be. He loves to be with his friends in the Academy because they just get it. They all have one thing in common – their love of music. As Andrew says, if you listen, every sound that you are hearing is music.
Kevin Meehan is President of the Students Unions. Deborah must break the news to him that the new building is delayed. Kevin is no longer a student of RIAM, but can still audition for a part in their Philharmonic orchestra. Will he land the coveted position of orchestra lead?
