How can they keep Irish kids from singing?

How can they keep Irish kids from singing?

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norman lebrecht

April 08, 2021

Principals of schoos in Northern Ireland have received a letter from the Education Minister ordering ‘no indoor singing or playing of wind or brass instruments should take place on school premises’.

Well, they won’t take that quietly, will they?

 

 

Comments

  • fflambeau says:

    Note it is not only singing but playing of musical instruments: ” ‘no indoor singing or playing of wind or brass instruments should take place on school premises’.”

    It is well known that music fosters independence which fosters rebellion which can lead to overthrow of governments. However, it is very, very difficult to get bad politicians out of a system once they take it over (see Myanmar) and there are almost no democracies in the world, including anywhere in Ireland.

    • Rogerio says:

      How about this thought experiment:
      You take all the Irish and you send them to Japan.
      You substitute them – person for person – with Japanese.
      You wait a generation.
      Then you switch them again.
      ???
      The newly-returned Irish look around, say:
      “an féidir linn canadh anois?”
      Meanwhile, back in Japan;
      革命の時です

  • I’m reminded of a girl I knew in college, whose mother had to institute a “no singing at the dinner table” rule in their home.

    They spent so much time singing that their dinner was always getting cold.

  • SVM says:

    What an absurd and disproportionate ban, with not even an attempt at nuance. Basta!

  • MusicBear88 says:

    My institution has this policy in place right now for COVID mitigation and while there has been a lot of questioning of the policy and complaining, people have adhered to it quite strictly. I do the music for virtual chapel services from home and I sing because I’m in my own house, and the students can’t join me whilst muted. But it’s better than having to close the school again and have everybody go home.

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