The National Concert Hall (NCH) let its hair down last October when it invited over 25 dance music artists to take over its auditoriums and grounds for a series of late-night concerts. But there were sharp divisions on its board over whether the event should be repeated this year following “worrying feedback” and “concerns expressed by front of house staff”.
Minutes of a board meeting of the NCH from last November show the “nature of the event” was questioned by some board members. The minutes record that staff complained about “abuse of NCH facilities” during the course of the weekend’s gigs, with acts including Oneohtrix Point Never, R. Kitt and Caterina Barbieri. Genres varied from electronic, contemporary classical and ambient music to drill rap and R&B. A review of the event in the Journal of Music noted “occasional interceptions” by security to confiscate drinks in the main concert hall, where alcohol was not permitted.
Following a discussion about the event, the board recommended a “critical review” be carried out and a debrief provided before choosing whether to go ahead again this year.
The board subsequently heard that despite the misgivings expressed by staff and some patrons, overall the series of gigs, which sold out, were deemed “a great success”. It noted that for more than 70 per cent of those attending, it was their first time in the NCH. “It met a key strategic aim for audience growth and diversity, seeking new ways to find, attract and grow our audience. It also attracted more positive media and social media coverage than anything [in 2022],” the board heard.
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The event is now scheduled to go ahead again in November, with an announcement expected in the next fortnight. The NCH said it reviews all events with a view to “enhancing customer experience for future concerts”. In reference to the “worrying feedback” and suggestions of “abuse of NCH facilities”, a spokesperson said this related to “wear and tear on furnishings”.
The idea for last year’s event, which featured internationally acclaimed artists but also young emerging Irish talent, was praised by Minister for Arts Catherine Martin who commended the NCH for using an “iconic” space in a new way to “push boundaries”.
The minutes also show tensions over the transfer of responsibility for the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) from RTÉ to the NCH.
Last year the board heard there was a “chronic shortage of resources in the NSO team”, presenting a “significant challenge”. A number of roles in the orchestra were unfilled, while there was also a shortage of deputy players resulting in the possibility of “potentially cancelling events” in the event of illness.
“The board challenged the current NCH/NSO arrangements that led the organisation to this crisis in the NSO,” the minutes note. “It reflects serious management issues in the NSO. NSO management needs to urgently set out what needs to be addressed promptly, recognising that the status quo is no longer acceptable.”
In March 2023, the general manager of the NSO asked the NCH not to schedule concerts requiring a large orchestra due to the lack of deputy players. The NSO said it could take up to five years to recruit the 22 extra players it needed but the board responded that this timeline was “unacceptable” and said the positions should be filled within two years.
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In a subsequent board meeting in May 2023, serious concern was expressed by the board about a lack of progress on a number of NSO actions. It was also noted that the NSO’s programme for 2023/2024 should have been brought to the meeting for approval and was now “critically overdue”. The minutes noted a HR consultant, who had been hired to help restructure the organisation, would have to switch focus from “change management” to “problem solving”.
In a statement on the current relationship between the NCH and NSO, a spokesperson said programming and operations for the NSO had been impacted by Covid-19, which had delayed the announcement and launch of its 2023/2024 season.
“The recruitment plans for the orchestra will see all current vacancies filled by the end of 2025,” it said.