The Royal Irish Academy of Music is a home of musical excellence and dynamism, a place of teaching and learning that consistently achieves its objective of transmitting and maintaining the highest performance standards and appreciation in all musical disciplines. Founded in 1848, the Academy is Ireland's oldest musical institution.
As a national thirty-two county institution, the Academy embodies and reflects Irish musicianship's traditions and heritage. The Teaching Staff includes many international and national prizewinners, members of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and many individuals whose names have become synonymous with music education in Ireland.
With the resources of such talents at its disposal, it is no wonder that the Academy's students have been accepted for further study at the most prestigious music institutions worldwide, from the Juilliard School in New York to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Today, with recently established higher education courses, the Academy is, in turn, able to offer adequate Irish musical training to students from all corners of the world.
In recent years students of the Academy have garnered prizes from some of the world's most prestigious international competitions, including the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, The Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, the China International Vocal Competition, the Cologne International Piano Competition, the Dublin International Piano Competition and the BBC Musician of the Year. On the international stage, former students are currently members of such leading orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and opera houses from the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden to La Scala, Milan.
Each season Academy staff and students perform a wide variety of concerts in many of Dublin's finest venues, including the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Concert Hall and internationally Academy students, through participation in its performing groups, have acted as musical ambassadors in England, Scotland, Switzerland, Norway and North, and South America, garnering such favorable reviews as "zesty and superbly unified" and "this 16-player group made a fine case for the state of music education in Dublin" (Allan Kozinn, The New York Times, November 19th, 2001 on the Royal Irish Academy of Music Chamber Orchestra).
Having reached the twenty-first century, the Royal Irish Academy of Music can claim to have had a role in over 1,000,000 musicians' lives since our foundation, which represents a unique and influential community of learning and appreciation.
In addition to our teaching role, the Academy plays an active role in the community by presenting a large number of outreach programs which over the last number of years have helped us raise more than €100,000 for charities such as The Irish Hospice Foundation, The Mater Misericordiae Hospital, The Hospitaller Order of St John of God and the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Indeed the Academy is incredibly proud that following Gavin Friday's collaboration with the RIAM Symphony Orchestra on Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, a new recording with illustrations by Bono was launched in aid of hospice care.
In 2012 the Academy launched the 'Diploma in Community and Group Music Teaching,' which was geared towards giving community music practitioners the skills required to inspire their towns and villages to celebrate music at various engagement levels.
The Academy also offers a wide-ranging Local Centre Examination System, which offers examinations in classical music and speech and drama to over 40,000 students annually.
Having reached the twenty-first century, the Royal Irish Academy of Music is confident of developing its status as a response, excitement, innovation, and achievement in Ireland.
All classical musical disciplines are catered for at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and are housed in five separate faculties: Keyboard String Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Vocal, and Musicianship.
The RIAM faculties include many international and national prizewinners, members of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and many individuals whose names have become synonymous with music education Ireland. With such talent resources at their disposal, it is no wonder that Academy students have been accepted for further study at the most prestigious music institutions around the world.
From a symphony orchestra of over eighty to a string group for emerging young talent, the RIAM Performing Groups have something to offer every musician wishing to engage in ensemble work at the Academy.
Each season these groups participate in various concerts in venues from the National Gallery of Ireland to the National Concert Hall.
Abroad too, the RIAM Performing Groups are flying the flag for the Academy with annual tours to Europe and the United States.
The Royal Irish Academy of Music plays a central role in developing, delivering, and promoting Ireland's cultural and educational agenda, contributing to a dynamic, innovative society for which the performing arts is a resource of inspiration and value. With a proud history of more than 160 years as a beacon for excellence and innovation in musical performance and composition, our on-going inspiration is found in our students, the commitment and expertise of our staff, and in our meaningful partnerships with other stakeholders across the island of Ireland and further afield.
Through music education, performance, and appreciation, we are deeply committed to stimulating and motivating students and examination candidates of all ages, helping them excel and contribute to society – whether their eventual careers lie in music or elsewhere.
The Royal Irish Academy of Music Teaching Staff includes international and national prizewinners, members of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and many individuals whose names have become synonymous with music education Ireland. In recent years our students have garnered prizes from some of the world's most prestigious international competitions, including the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, The Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, the Cologne International Piano Competition, the AXA Dublin International Piano Competition, and the Maria Callas Grand Prix. On the international stage, former students are currently members of such leading orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and opera houses from the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden to Munich State Opera.
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