Class Acts

When the Greek philosopher Aristotle was asked to what extent educated people might be superior to those who are uneducated he replied unequivocally, as much as the living are to the dead. A couple of thousand years later author H G Wells (of The War Of The World s fame) in his book The Outline Of History reckoned that, human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
Both learned men might be accused today of being more than a little over the top, but their comments at least serve to indicate that from way back then, education has been regarded as something to be highly prized throughout the civilised world.
The rapid developments in technology, successive waves of unemployment and the increasingly competitive nature of modern life has meant that education has at the very least maintained its place high up on the social agenda. Whereas there was a time when for many young people escaping from the rigours and discipline of school or college life could not happen fast enough, modern educational methods have tended to take the chore out of learning and replaced it with a sense of innovation and stimulation that makes it at times, dare one say it, good clean fun.
Inspired by the principle that ignorance certainly is not bliss if it means you find it hard to get the fulfilling job you always craved, or to achieve the level of earnings you need in order to sustain your chosen lifestyle, most people today look to the task of increasing their skills and expanding their knowledge as something that retains an almost permanent place in their lives.
In relation to music, as in other areas, there is a no less understandable acceptance of the fact that if you don t keep learning you soon fall behind the needs of your employer and the workplace in general, irrespective of how skilled you might once have been. Not so many years ago, had one spoken of digital technology , or the Internet , or the information super-highway one would more than likely have been met with uncomprehending stares. Today it is almost impossible to imagine a world without such innovations.
Now is the traditional time of year for students to start seriously reviewing their future educational needs and assessing their realistic career options. The following summary offers a brief sample of those educational places which could help you shape your future career as much as they have helped thousands in the past. Choosing a career is an important decision, as is acquiring the appropriate qualifications, so all the options outlined below deserve your closest attention.

NORTHERN RHYTHMS

After a highly successful pilot year Northern Rhythms, the traditional Irish music programme set up in conjunction with Udaras na Gaeltachta, FAS and the Programme For Peace And Reconciliation, has announced exciting details of a new two-year Higher National Diploma in Professional Traditional Music Performance. This new diploma will strengthen their existing one-year Certificate in Professional Traditional Music Performance.
The programme is the first of its kind exclusively intended for musicians. The intention of the course is to empower relatively competent musicians to become productive and economically independent through a programme of intensive training and tuition.
Both courses from Northern Rhythms embrace the philosophy that traditional music is an organic living art form that develops in a spontaneous and energetic way through the mood, expression and environment of the musicians. These are the qualities that define the music and sometimes make the performing of it in the necessarily sterile surroundings of the recording studio especially difficult for even the most competent performers. The course helps trad musicians overcome their unfamiliarity with mainstream music technology through training them in sound production, recording, sequencing and performance. Training and experience in midi technology gives students the ability to control the content, pace and environment of the music, providing the resulting product with a natural and more vibrant feel.
Students at Northern Rhythms are also given training in the business aspects of the music industry, promotion and composition, and they receive intensive tuition in traditional instrumental skills and source material by recognised experts. The two-year HND is validated by BTEC and offers an internationally recognised tertiary qualification which will be of interest to anyone who wants to make progress on a more formal path to professional musicianship. The one-year course is certified by Senior College, Ballyfermot and offers a vocational and practical approach more suited to those who need a springboard into the music profession.
According to Course leader Ally O Rhiada, Our programme takes the spirit of the Bardic Apprenticeships through which students have a unique opportunity to completely immerse themselves in their music and to develop their professional potential so that they can become economically independent after completing the course .
The Northern Rhythms course is located in Falcarragh in North West Donegal. They welcome applications from the Ulster and Gaeltacht regions and from both sides of the community, from those who are currently on the live unemployment register and who have the ability and desire to pursue a professional music career. The course is free and participants recieve a subsistance payment and all existing benefits are maintained. Interested parties should send their CV s to CEOLTOIR/ Northern Rhythms, Teach Bhaile Chonaill, An Fal Carrach, Tir Chonaill. Applications should be in by 15 September. For further information you can telephone 074-65598. Interviews will include auditions.

PULSE RECORDING COLLEGE

Conveniently based at 67 Pleasants Place, Dublin 8, Pulse Recording College is a modern state-of-art facility containing two fully-equipped recording studios (including 24-track digital), lecture facilities and other amenities. The 24-track studio also functions as a commercial facility with close links to the mainstream music industry, thus enabling students to work with the latest technology in a professional audio environment.
Pulse prides itself on being the first and only organisation in Ireland which offers Parts 1 and 2 of the City and Guilds 1820 Certificate in Sound Engineering. The certificate is recognised internationally as the industry standard, thus giving Pulse graduates a definite advantage in the marketplace.
A key part of the Pulse Recording College is their work experience programme. Students are assisted in gaining work placements according to their availability and preference in a real, professional work environment, where they can observe and contribute to those areas for which they are training. In previous years students have been given work in recording studios, tape duplication plants, maintenance companies and elsewhere. Graduates have gained employment in studios such as OFI, Cannibal, Real God, CTI, Sulan and Park House.
Pulse is ideally sited, within easy walking distance of the city centre and the main student accommodation centres of South Dublin. For further information contact Naomi at 01-4784045.

SOUND TRAINING CENTRE

Now located in the Temple Bar Music Centre, the Sound Training Centre (STC), was the first training centre of its kind in Ireland and STC courses and examinations have effectively set new standards for training in Ireland for careers within the music industry.
Affiliated to City And Guilds (London), the STC syllabus has been developed in conjunction with potential employers and their needs, and is regularly updated to reflect technological advances and to adapt to variations in employers requirements.
Because of the practical nature of virtually all jobs in the music industry, STC places a strong emphasis on the hands-on element of their courses. Every student is given the opportunity to conduct their own recording sessions, and in the case of stage production courses they can take charge of a live performance situation.
As STC Course Co-ordinator Eithne Mooney pointed out to Hot Press, STC is a really unique training facility. Students train in an industry environment, working alongside industry professionals, building an extensive client base and networking with potential employers even as they train. We offer the complete training package. Students acquire the knowledge, the skills, the contacts and the right attitude to pursue a successful career in the music industry. Consequently, STC maintains a consistently high employment rate for successful graduates of our courses.
The hands-on aspect of the STC includes working on a CD which is released nationally at the end of each year with the generous assistance of Virgin and Gael Linn.
The centre also works closely with such established names as Sennheiser and Roland. Its four main courses Sound Engineering And Music Technology (full-time and part-time) and Sound Engineering, Lighting And Stage Production (also full-time and part-time) commence in September. In conjunction with Damn Good Productions, students can actually produce recordings which can subsequently be made available for key industry figures to hear and assess their skills.
For further information contact Eithne Mooney at 01-6709033 or visit STC at www.soundtraining.com

BALLYFERMOT

The Senior College in Ballyfermot in Dublin contains a student population of almost 2,000, with 1,400 taking post-secondary PLC courses and over 1,600 part-time participants.
The aim of the college is to provide training to meet the requirements of modern business, industry and social services, as well as newer areas like radio, television, animation, computing and electronics. The college also aims to provide part-time courses for the wider community in the professional skills, cultural and recreational areas.
One of the most popular courses at Ballyfermot is their Certificate In Popular Music Performance. This course provides a working environment through which students can develop skills in self-expression, musical composition, presentation and performance. Students gain an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the music industry and have the opportunity to work creatively together. The course also introduces students to the composition of music using MIDI interfacing. Live performances in city centre venues are also an exciting and integral feature of the course.
Another popular course at Ballyfermot is the Higher National Diploma In Music Management And Music Production (BTEC). This course is an integrated programme of learning with the emphasis on developing the personal skills required for professional management in the music industry.
Students study the domestic and international music industry, the production of music events and the operation of record deals. In addition, a wide range of business skills feature on the course including marketing, public relations and legal studies. Guest lecturers from the industry address the students each week. n

Jackie Hayden is the co-author with Johnny Lappin of the forthcoming book The Need To Know Guide To Careers In Music, available soon from Foxrock Music Productions at #9.99.