Minister Martin announces the government’s agreement to the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall
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From: Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
- Published on: 19 January 2022
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD announced the government’s agreement to the transfer of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall with effect from 24 January 2022.
The principal objective of the transfer is to secure a more sustainable future for Ireland’s premier orchestra as part of the national venue for the performance, appreciation and enjoyment of music. The National Concert Hall is currently preparing a major capital redevelopment plan, as part of the National Development Plan, and the transfer of the NSO and choirs will support the NCH’s vision of being an inspiring and world-renowned music destination, accessible to all and enriching the cultural landscape of Ireland.
As part of Budget 2022, an amount of €8m was provided to enable the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs to the National Concert Hall to take place. This largely equates to the estimated running costs of the NSO.
Speaking today, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, said:
“I am delighted to oversee the transition of the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs to the National Concert Hall. It is fitting that the National Symphony Orchestra be brought under the stewardship of Ireland’s national centre for music, forty years after performing at the National Concert Hall’s opening concert.
"The NSO will be at the heart of the NCH’s planned redevelopment into a state-of-the-art music campus, facilitating innovation in musical performance, learning, and participation in music. I want to thank RTÉ, the NCH, the NSO, the associated choirs and all support staff for working so hard to ensure a smooth transition. This is a significant red letter day, not only for the musicians involved, but for all those who have an interest in music in Ireland.”
Speaking today, the National Concert Hall’s Maura McGrath (Chairperson), and Robert Read (CEO) stated:
“We are both proud and excited to welcome the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), the Philharmonic Choir, Cór Linn and Cór na nÓg to the National Concert Hall. This will allow us to strengthen our artistic offering to the Irish public, and enhance our position as the national venue for the performance, appreciation and enjoyment of music in Ireland. It is our vision, and a key part of the strategic ambition of the National Concert Hall, to ensure the orchestra is sustained, strengthened and developed to a world-class standard, with state-of-the-art facilities which will be delivered as part of our overall redevelopment programme.
"Our ambition is to invest in the orchestra, to realise our joint artistic potential, enhancing diversity and accessibility, ensuring orchestral music is a sustainable and integral part of our output. As custodian of Ireland’s musical heritage, the National Concert Hall, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the combined choral groups look forward to creating a legacy of music performance, participation and education that is uplifting for all, forging strong creative links between past, present and future.”
Director-General of RTÉ, Dee Forbes said:
“Today is a day of mixed emotions for us in RTÉ. On the one hand we are delighted that the NSO and Choirs will now be on a firm financial footing within the NCH allowing them to plan with confidence into the future, but on the other, we say goodbye today not just to wonderful musicians and support staff, but to colleagues and friends, many of whom have a long history in RTÉ. I have no doubt they will continue in their mission to make great orchestral music and entertain audiences everywhere, and we will of course continue to have a strong broadcasting relationship with them in their new role at the heart of Ireland's National Concert Hall. We wish them all the very best and thank them for the music."
Anthony Long, General Manager, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Choir said:
“The transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs from RTÉ to the remit of the National Concert Hall is of paramount significance for the future of live symphonic and choral music in Ireland. This is an exciting development: it affords the opportunity to plan and grow with confidence as we all look to the future and work to realise a shared vision for music in Ireland. We would like to thank RTÉ for supporting all groups for so long and we greatly look forward to working with our new colleagues at the National Concert Hall.”
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra was established by RTÉ in 1948. It has been the resident orchestra at the National Concert Hall since Ireland’s national venue was established in 1981. Prior to COVID, its year-long programme of concerts at the National Concert Hall and other venues across Ireland has been a mainstay of orchestral performance in Ireland. The three RTÉ choirs, the RTÉ Philharmonic Choir (closely associated with the NSO), RTÉ Cór Linn and RTÉ Cór na nÓg, will also transfer from RTÉ to the National Concert Hall on 24 January 2022.
Notes
Following the publication by RTÉ of the report that it commissioned from independent consultants Helen Boaden and Mediatique on the RTÉ orchestras entitled "RTÉ Orchestras: Ensuring a Sustainable Future”, on 5 July 2018, the government agreed in principle that the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (RTÉ NSO) should come within the remit of the National Concert Hall and should not be established as a separate State body. It was later agreed between RTÉ, NCH and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media that the RTÉ Choirs - RTÉ Philharmonic Choir, RTÉ Cór Linn and RTÉ Cór na nÓg – should also transfer.
From 2018 – 2021, an oversight group chaired by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, with the participation of all stakeholders, identified the relevant issues to be addressed to enable the successful transfer of the NSO from the remit of RTÉ to the remit of the NCH. A due diligence report on the NSO broadly confirmed the operating costs of the NSO as being of the order of €8m p.a.
As part of Budget 2022, an amount of €8m was provided to enable the transfer of the National Symphony Orchestra and Choirs to the National Concert Hall to take place.
The transfer has given rise to a Bill - the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert) Amendment Bill 2022 providing for amendments to:
- the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Act of 2015 (amending functions of the NCH to include management of an orchestra and choirs)
- the Broadcasting Act of 2009
This Bill will be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas in due course.