ABOUT
All about us and our mission statement
ABOUT US
South Dublin Music (SDM) is located at Firhouse/Knocklyon in Dublin and has been established to
provide individual instrumental and group-based music tuition to the local community. Our Dublin
school of music provides individual music lessons for piano, violin, guitar, cello, flute, voice and a
range of other instruments.
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As an independently run music school we support curriculum and instrumental performance-based
music activity for primary and secondary school students. We also provide ensemble and
instrumental music lessons to the wider public across all South County Dublin and West County
Dublin.
South Dublin Music is directed by its owner Niall O Brien who has over twenty years’ experience as a
Violin teacher and Ensemble tutor. Niall has also managed and directed at Leeson Park School of
Music and Newpark Music Centre.
OUR VISION AND APPROACH
The vision and direction of the school seeks to establish excellence in performance-based learning while providing access to good quality music lessons for all. Many students may take an interest in preparing for external examinations (Associated Board, Trinity College and the Royal Irish Academy) and for such situations, playing in front of an audience is an essential part of preparation. Other students may wish to perform in concert settings to 'test run' pieces.
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As such, providing students with the opportunity to perform, either in solo settings or as part of an ensemble, is an important aspect of the ethos of South Dublin Music. Concert activity is scheduled regularly with performance actively encouraged.
Listening, responding, performing, and composing are musical activities enshrined in the primary curriculum syllabus, and the importance of supporting and advocating for arts education is a central philosophical aim at SDM.
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Research has indicated that there are many benefits for young children to engage with music making and learning. Central to the philosophy of supporting the primary school curriculum at SDM is the belief that lessons should be fun and engaging, allowing for cognitive brain functioning to develop.
PERFORMING AND CONCERTS
At South Dublin Music, we believe that opportunities to perform are central to enjoyment and progression. We schedule informal, class-based concerts approximately 8 times each year so that our budding students can 'road test' pieces. While students do not have to perform at these informal concerts, we do strongly encourage it as they are a great way for boosting confidence in performing and can also help for examination preparation, as many of our students take Junior and Leaving Certificate Performance options as well as external examination grades with Associated Board ABRSM, Trinity College, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.