In 2022/2023, the Royal Irish Academy of Music opened its doors to an observational documentary crew from Animo TV to follow some of our students and teachers during a pivotal year in our 175-year history.
In Face The Music, we join RIAM director Deborah Kelleher at the start of the new academic year as she deals with a delayed opening of the €25 million campus redevelopment due to COV complications and the rising costs of building materials. Undeterred, Deborah knows, as the leader of this internationally renowned institution, that the show must go on.
Throughout this 3-part series, we meet the students and teachers that dedicate their lives to the pursuit of excellence in music. If classical music seemed elitist in the past, Deborah is doing her utmost to break down barriers and make it accessible to everybody. However. this is still a world that strives for perfection, and the demands on students are significant.
Face The Music airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on 22 June, 29 June and 6 July at 10.15 pm.
Episode 1
Vocal student Rachael Connaghan is about to have major jaw surgery to fix a misalignment that is impacting her singing, but not before she auditions for a lead role in the opera.
17-year-old pianist Sean Shannon is leaving home for the first time to take a place in RIAM's third-level programme. Having taught himself on a toy piano and watching Youtube videos, he's nervous about stepping into such a professional environment.
Clara, Matthew, Dáire, Oscar and Rossa Mhic Shíomáin play 11 instruments between them as well as a number of traditional instruments. This dedicated bunch get up every Saturday morning at 6am to travel into the Academy for their lessons.
Screenings take place for third-level students to determine their place in the RIAM Philharmonia Orchestra.
Watch back on RTÉ Player