In 2009, the global financial crash had deeply affected the economy. Broken banks, skyrocketing unemployment and plummeting tax revenues and household incomes instilled fear across the nation. During this challenging period, it wasn’t feasible to appeal for public funds to expand a nationwide pilot project aimed at offering every child in the State desirous of a music education a chance to pursue it.
U2 and The Ireland Funds, a globally-focused philanthropic organisation, however, stepped up and committed to donating €7 million over five years when state funding was not feasible. Consequently, Music Generation was established in February 2011.
Now, thirteen years onwards, Music Generation operates conveniently in all the local authorities across the country excluding Cork County Council, which is in the process of being integrated. In the previous year, about 115,936 children received tutelage, which is equivalent to one child out of 12 below 18 years old and approximately one out of every 10 school-aged kids.
“We have expanded on a national level,” pride-fully acknowledges Music Generation’s director, Rosaleen Molloy. A small team of nine operates from their head office situated upstairs in the National Concert Hall, supported by an extensive pool of over 500 teachers scattered across the nation.
Since its inception, U2 and the Ireland Funds have donated a total of €13 million. However, Music Generation has now become self-sufficient, receiving an equal €14 million annually from both the Department of Education and local authorities. Despite its grand mission, the fund is modest.
“The aim isn’t to create the next U2, Van Morrison or Sinéad O’Connor, although that possibility exists,” she shares. Early beneficiaries included rapper and singer Denise Chaila and the rap trio, Rusangano Family.
“Rather, the focus is on utilizing the transformative power of music to facilitate emotional, social, psychological and creative growth,” she explains. “Every individual possesses inherent musical creativity.
“When I travel across the national expanse and see the joy on youngsters’ faces, it swells my heart with immense pride. They get the opportunity to collaborate with extraordinarily gifted music educators,” she concludes.
In Dublin’s north inner city, at O’Connell Boy’s primary school, elderly infants get their rhythm senses sharpened under the watchful eye of Ailbhe Kehoe, their music instructor. As part of the Music Explorers programme by Music Generation, students experiment with percussion instruments like shakers and learn musical concepts by throwing scarves into the air.
Kieran McGuinness, the music development officer of the City of Dublin Education Training Board (CDETB) stresses the imperative of focusing on Deis establishments like O’Connell’s at both primary and secondary levels, to ensure a democratised access to music. As McGuinness states, their goal is not necessarily to scout talent, but to ensure no budding artist is overlooked because of their inability to access music education.
Local Music Education Partnerships, under the management of education, training boards and local administrations, are responsible for running Music Generation at the local level. Therefore, the programme’s success relies on their management efficiency.
Laois has adopted the programme in 29 primary and four secondary institutions and even has a tangling waitlist. Music Generation Laois has a broad jurisdiction extending to men’s shelters, direct provision centres and Traveller halting areas. Every week, a Ukrainian women’s choir gathers under its banner, their heart-rending rendition of The Fureys’ Steal Away conveying the yearning of a generational diaspora.
The Shared Island Songwriting Project is another initiative led by Music Generation Laois. A spate of residential “hot houses” involving youngsters from Laois, Offaly and Northern Ireland will culminate in the creation of a dozen original compositions, poised to be displayed at festivals and art venues.
About 4,500 individuals in the county, equating to one in 20 of the total population, have engaged with the Music Generation programme in some capacity, according to the director of Music Generation Laois, Rosa Flannery. “We’ve successfully established a supportive community over the span of 12 years,” expressed Flannery.
A beneficiary of this programme is 16 year old, Tony McInerney, a young Traveller. He became a part of Music Generation via a youth club in Portlaoise alongside his cousin Martin Donoghue who is also participating in vocal and piano tutoring. The two form the duo known as the Bass Brothers and have self-produced a song titled ‘What I Will Always Be’, focused on the culture of Travellers, which was released last year and can be found on YouTube.
However, Music Generation is not solely focused on marginalised communities. The county’s harp mentor, Siobhán Buckley, is currently teaching 156 students under the banner of Music Generation Laois. While some will develop into professional or at least semi-professional musicians, others participate purely for enjoyment.
Flannery further states, “Music Generation is dedicated to transforming young lives through the medium of music, a statement I can strongly affirm. Numerous individuals have said their lives took a turn for the better after registering for our programme. To study or create music is their ambition. I know these people are authentic.”
Even thought the current economic situation suggests the funding from U2 is not as crucial as it was in the past, the band continues to contribute as “thought leaders” with suggestions on maximising the programme’s outreach, says Molloy. However, the band declined the interview for this article, though they did share a video link which was aired at the Music Generation annual conference earlier this year.
“Music is a powerful tool for transformation and that’s what brought us all here,” claimed Adam Clayton, the bassist of the band, during his time at The Sphere in Las Vegas where the band took up residency. “We know achieving equal access will require more effort, but as we look towards the future of Music Generation, we envision exciting and ambitious plans.”
The initiative of Music Generation to extend musical education to any child who expresses interest is well on its way to becoming a reality.
Molloy affirms that the belief that being talented or having a knack for music is mandatory in order to learn is truly a fallacy. He expresses that all individuals possess natural capacities for crafting and producing music. As music instructors, they shoulder the responsibility to unlock these inherent music proficiencies that everyone possesses.