EOIN BUTLERtalks to David Brophy, principle conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra
As a musician you were something of a late bloomer.I came to music rather late. I didn't begin taking piano lessons until I was 13 years old. When I left school I had only got as far as grade four. It was at that point that I took a year out and began to practise seriously. People have this impression that if you haven't been taking lessons from the age of three or four years old, you'll never make it as a so-called classical musician. But that's not so.
Was there a particular conductor who inspired you?Simon Rattle and Lenny Bernstein, I think, were the two. Long before YouTube existed, I went through a phase of collecting DVDs of the great conductors. Looking back, it's fascinating to see how styles and techniques have changed.
I've seen you referred to as "down to earth maestro" David Brophy.The "maestro" thing is a running joke at this stage. It's an Italian word that was used at a time when the conductor was a dictatorial figure. If you go online you can listen to audio recordings of the great Italian conductor Toscanini screaming and shouting at the orchestra in rehearsal. Those days are long gone.
One of your upcoming collaborations is with the Aprés Match comedy trio. I'd seen the lads perform as the River Tenors - basically taking the mick out of the Three Irish Tenors. It was side-splittingly funny, so we got in touch to see if they'd like to work with the orchestra. It'll be an unusual night alright.
Are conflicts between artistic sensibilities and the commercial imperative to be accessible ever a cause of tension?No. Besides, it would be a mistake to think of artistic sensibility as something that applies only to what has been labelled "high art". One shining example of that was when we worked with U2 for the opening ceremony at the Special Olympics in 2003. I remember rehearsing with them at Croke Park and Bono having very clear understanding of the role of the orchestra.
If someone came looking at the concert orchestra with a view to making cuts, what would you say to justify its continued existence? In the White House this month, Brian Cowen and Gabriel Byrne both spoke about the importance of the creative industries in kick-starting our economic revival. So I think orchestral tours abroad - particularly around March, particularly to America - could be very important. I remember touring the States with the RTÉ SO in 2002; whenever we played Danny Boy, the audience just wept. These are audiences of often very wealthy Irish-Americans. When they hear this music, they want to come back. They want to support Ireland. I think the Government has really realised that.
Can you practise conducting on your own or does the orchestra have to be there, too?No, you can't practise on your own. That would be ridiculous. Well, I suppose you could stand in front of the mirror and admire yourself in action. But that would be very, very silly. If you're going to conduct, you've got to conduct players.
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra's spring/summer season of 10 concerts runs from April to June at the National Concert Hall. nch.ie
