If Music Be the Food of Love...

Poetry and music are not synonymous with Cork city’s Northside.

Historically the area is recognized as an impoverished location in Ireland’s largest county, where the main aim of the residents is to try and make ends meet from week to week and sustain their families’ needs. There is not a lot of time for the charming pursuits of music and poetry. These are things for privileged people to indulge in.

All that changed entirely when the Cork Academy of Music was established in 1994 by musicians and businessmen with an interest in helping people who are considered disenfranchised; early school-leavers, the unemployed and disabled.

Entering the Cork Academy of Music is an emotive experience. Your senses are heightened as the soothing tinkling of the piano keys echoes along the hall. Following the gentle strains the tune ends outside a classroom door. The man looks up and beckons me inside. He is sitting in a wheelchair.

I tell him I could not help myself but to follow the tune, like the pied pipers hapless children. His eyes light up and he beams at the ivories.

“I am here in the Academy now for the past year and I will be sitting my grade five exam next month,” says Larry proudly. “The School has changed my whole outlook on life. Not just because I have fulfilled my life-long ambition–to learn the piano–but because of the camaraderie, the help and guidance I’ve received here. That feeling of caring is so important.”

Larry Dineen is from the Northside of Cork. He used to be a construction worker but a fall from a huge height halted his career.

“It wasn’t easy bringing up a young family when I was disabled. But we managed. They’re all grown up now.” His daughter helps at home acting as a carer for her mother.

“Yes, she looks after my wife when I come to school, where I have my own car space. I feel very lucky. The teachers and all the staff are wonderful.” Larry asks me what I’d like to hear.

"Nothing too complicated now,” he jokes, “I’m still on grade four.” My request is for Galway Bay and I have never heard that old air rendered with such poignancy as when Larry played in that little classroom. The recording studio and rehearsal rooms are located further down the corridor whose walls are decorated with musicians who have graduated from the Academy.

One of these is Martin Siebold.
Just a year ago the 16-year-old was a drug user and petty criminal. He admits this without a trace of bravado. Martin owes his new life to the power of music. He attributes his change in outlook and fortune to the Cork Academy of Music where he is studying music theory and percussion. He was introduced to the scheme when he was at his lowest ebb. He was about to be charged over offences including breaking and entering and dangerous driving. He had overdosed on valium twice. He was given a suspended sentence and knew things had to change. The teenager says his descent was stopped the day he was introduced to the Academy.

“This place has changed my life so much for the better,” he says. “I don’t know where I would have ended up if I hadn’t come here. I was very wary of everything at first, but after a while I started to get into the course and realized there was something else I could do with my life.” Within three weeks of arriving at the academy, Martin achieved grade one music theory with grade two coming a month later and grade three being reached a month after that. He is now confident of his ability.

“I can drum a lot of styles now, and although I don’t know what I want to do in the long run, I would like to join a band.” For now Martin is out of trouble and the only thing his neighbors fear is the enthusiastic drumming that comes at strange intervals during the night. But hey, they can deal with that.

Martin is one of six troubled teenagers who were introduced to this AIF-assisted program in the academy last year. Honorary Secretary and development officer Bob Seaward is delighted.

“This shows that people who get into trouble can turn themselves around,” he says. “Music is a great incentive for getting people back into the education system. I’ve seen a lot of people coming here who didn’t think they had it in them to achieve anything academic, who have been very surprised and encouraged by the exams they have passed. It gives them inspiration to go on and try other things. You can see the self-esteem in some people rise visibly while they’re here.” For many, the academy means a future brighter than they would have thought they could create for themselves. Just ask Martin Siebold.

The aim of the school is to give disadvantaged people an education in music to a qualification standard with certification to give the opportunity of finding work in the music industry or going on to further education in music. The academy also hopes to help improve the standard of music locally, because of the changing trends in music in the city. The aims and objectives have been achieved. Over 400 participants have received training to a qualification standard. 27 former students have gone on to 3rd level education and have graduated with degrees in music.

The academy moved some years ago to rented premises, a former engineering workshop in an industrial estate in Blackpool, Cork. As well as administering a full-time music course, the school has developed a special course for early school-leavers, teaching music theory and singing to children from local schools aged 5-8 years and evening classes for young people at risk. The objective here is to keep them occupied and hopefully encourage them to continue education. The International Jazz Summer School is in its 4th year, bringing some of the finest tutors and performers in Europe to instruct, it is of great benefit to the students of the academy and other participants and it is a wonderful cultural event for the city.

The interest and financial support from The Ireland Funds has been a great boost to the school and has helped in developing an interest in the project by other organizations. Training equipment purchased with the support of The Funds has been invaluable to the students and teachers and has helped in their high achievements to date.

The academy has given the likes of Larry and Martin a new lease of life. They are singing to a totally different tune because of this wonderful facility. The future looks bright for this upbeat school, as the next project is to develop an orchestra with people from the local community. It is hoped to provide for students with some learning difficulties for instance, literacy and numeracy.

The impoverished Northside of Cork has become immeasurably richer because of the Academy of Music. The academy can take a bow, and an encore. Cork has amongst its accolades, a wonderful string to its bow.