The Irish Are Coming! - Again

April 2004 will mark the 5th year of an exchange program between Brooklyn College and the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. It has been an informal exchange instituted by Morris Lang and Richard O'Donnell, with financial assistance by both institutions.

Richard studied with Morris Lang, gaining his Masters degree at Brooklyn College. He landed the job in the Irish Radio Orchestra some fifteen years ago, and later became first percussionist with the Irish National Orchestra. Some years later he became head of the percussion program at the Royal Academy. Morris Lang (New York Philharmonic, emeritus and PAS Hall Of Famer) has taught at Brooklyn and directed the percussion ensemble for many years, producing students who have gone into orchestral work, Broadway shows, education, solo percussion and Latin performance.

In 1999 Richard invited MAL to perform the Carter "Eight Pieces for Kettledrums" at a Carter Festival in Dublin. While in Dublin he did Master Classes for the newly reorganized percussion department at the Academy. Richard had just started a percussion ensemble class (the first in Ireland) which led to a discussion of an exchange between our respective schools.

The outline was simple- Richard would bring his group to Brooklyn in the spring, the Brooklyn ensemble would come to Ireland in early summer. Each group would raise the money for transportation. Students would stay in the homes of other students or at the "Y," the directors stayed in each other's home, and fees for concerts would go toward expenses.

Five years ago Ireland was virgin territory for percussion music. For example, Ionization had never been performed in Dublin, so in 2000 the combined groups gave the premiere performance. In 2001 we premiered Antheil- Ballet Mechanique with the original film (ten percussion, four pianos); 2002 premiered the Ginastera- Cantata para America Magica (ten percussion, soprano); 2003 Bernard Hoffer- The River (ten percussion, saxophone quartet, narrator) and Hyperball by Jose Halac, featuring tenor saxophonist, Salim Washington, who is in charge of the jazz program at Brooklyn College. This year we will play Marlos Nobre- Rhythmetron (ten percussion). We have also encouraged a number of Irish and American composers to write for the tour, doing at least one new work on every trip. In 2003 we added a jump off to San Sebastien, Spain and added a new host, Jesus Solano. Jesus is the timpanist with the Symphony Orchestra of Euskadi, who conducted and performed with the combined groups.

While in New York we:
1. Visited the Zildjian factory (thanks to Zildjian for supplying transportation and a class by Frank Epstein)
2. Visited New York Philharmonic rehearsals
3. Staged a "professional" recording session
4. Visited clubs such as the Vangard, the Nyorican Poets Cafe and Gonzales y Gonzales
5. Among the many Master Classes:
- Playing the Broadway Show (Brian Willson)
- Beethoven's Ninth (Morris Lang)
- Traditional Irish Music (Richard O'Donnell, bodhran)
- On Auditioning (Richard O'Donnell)
- My Worlds-Crossover (Gordon Gottlieb)

In Europe we:
1. Played in many cities and locations: Samba Festival in Droghida, the opening of the Fine Arts Museum in Dublin, outdoor concerts in Temple Bar and in a private mansion, a new theatre in Cork, the Helix arts complex in Dublin
2. Visited jazz and traditional music clubs in both Ireland and Spain
3. Master Classes:
- Pipe Drumming (Ciaran Mordaunt)
- Ives' Fourth Symphony (Richard O'Donnell)
- The Be Bop Style (Brian Willson)
- Interpreting Classical Music (Morris Lang)
- Cymbals and Symbols of the 1970-1980s (Morris Lang)
- The Afro-Cuban Tradition (students Juan Uribe, Danny Aviles)

Aside from fun and companionship, the trips have given the students invaluable experience in performance, sometimes under difficult and stressful circumstance, and the exposure to other cultures and other players. One Irish student has already completed his Master's degree at Brooklyn College, another has gotten into the Dublin Radio Orchestra. A number of Brooklyn students have graduated and are on their way carrying unforgettable professional and personal experiences.

The tours could not have happened without the support of Nancy Hager, chair of the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, and the superb percussionist, conductor, composer, organizer, Brian Willson.

- Arnie Lang