Helping young musicians find their sound: Music Instrument Fund of Ireland celebrates 30 years in 2025

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Dublin, Spring 1995

A mild day inspires teachers at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) Conservatory of Music on Chatham Row to open their windows while they teach. On the third floor, far right, a white paned window slides up and the music of Mendelssohn Violin Concerto is carried on the breeze. The melody stops, then restarts, a little shyly as if discovering a corner of the piece for the first time. Suddenly, a second voice can be heard, another violin playing the orchestral accompaniment. The sonority and warm depth of the timbre fills the air, a rich vibrato makes the air flutter. My father’s playing is unmistakable. The sound of my father’s violin is unmistakable too. The melody of the concerto joins in – a little stronger now, the student emboldened.

I remember the culture shock we experienced when we first moved to Ireland in the late 1980s. My father, Ronald Masin, had accepted a position at the DIT where he would go on to teach for nearly thirty years.

Prior to that, he was concertmaster of the Amsterdam Philharmonic (now Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest) for thirty years. His piano quartet, signed to EMI, had toured the world. The violist in that quartet was my mother, Maria Kelemen Masin, who would grace The Strad’s September 1996 cover highlighting her work with gifted young students.

Neither of my parents were born into wealthy families. Both survived World War II as children. My mother was a refugee twice, the second time as she fled Budapest in 1956 with nothing but a violin on her back.

Having grown from traumatised backgrounds into the aspirational hopes of 1960s Europe, they studied and worked at a time when classical music was part of the tapestry of daily life. Music conservatories and orchestras were able to provide networks that enabled musicians to gain access to good instruments. If anyone knew what it was like to feel the impact on one’s development from an inferior to a lovingly-crafted instrument, it was my parents. 

When our family arrived in Dublin, Ireland was plagued by poverty and emigration. Countless families scraped their last pennies together to afford their children a classical music education. Valuable instruments were only in the hands of professionals. Promising young talents stopped their studies out of frustration when they plateaued – no matter how skilled they might have been, their instrument limited their progress, and they could not realise their potential.

Moreover, tt became apparent to Ronald Masin that promising young musicians could not discern whether hours of practice that led to little evolution in their skills was because of themselves or the poor quality of their instruments. They could not marry their inner musical conviction to the sound their instrument produced and found themselves disheartened.

Ireland’s Celtic Tiger began roaring around the mid-1990s. It was then that Ronald Masin had the idea of creating a bank of instruments for students with aspirations to become professionals. He called it the Music Instrument Fund of Ireland (MIFI) and set to work. He invited like-minded individuals from all walks of life to help in realising his vision.

After establishing MIFI as a charity, Masin set about scouting instruments across Europe. He also searched for supporters and philanthropists and sought government funding.

MIFI has become Ireland’s only organisation that provides high-quality instruments for young people as part of its core mission. 2025 marks MIFI’s 30th anniversary. The catalogue of instruments counts 16. These instruments have benefitted 91 young musicians. Of those, 84 per cent have become professional musicians. Here are the tales of some of the beneficiaries:

Fiachra de hOra, born in Dublin. Violist, Bachelor of Music at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, currently studying for his masters at Hochschule für Musik Basel

’During my teenage years I was so fortunate to play on a wonderful instrument from the Music Instrument Fund of Ireland. I’m quite sure without this support I would not have been able to develop as much as I did. Perhaps had I not had access to these instruments I might have gone down a different path in life. An instrument which one can rely on is worth more than the instruments’ value. It gave me trust in myself and my own abilities.’

Ailbhe McDonagh, born in Dublin. Cellist, composer, string faculty member of Royal Irish Academy of Music

’I was very lucky to receive a cello from the Music Instrument Fund of Ireland at a young age. Having access to such a high-quality instrument enabled me to advance quickly at a crucial time in my musical development.’

Michelle Fleming, born in Cork. Violinist, member of the Carducci Quartet based in Cheltenham

’I still remember the excitement of receiving a beautiful violin on loan from the Music Instrument Fund of Ireland. At that stage in my musical journey, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities, encouraging me to explore a wider variety of tone colours and to project a bigger, richer sound on my instrument. It was so inspiring and came at such an important point in my musical development. I am so grateful to this day.’

Daimee Ng, born in Dublin. Violinist, Bachelor of Music at Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg

’I was eleven years old when I received a Postacchini violin (below) from the Music Instrument Fund of Ireland, which, in the grand scheme of things, was a time when I neither knew what I wanted to do later in life, nor the vital impact a good violin makes in the development of a young musician. But I remember opening the case up in excitement, and hearing a sound that was immediately bright, brilliant and bold.

’The violin accompanied me for the next years around Ireland and abroad and really became a best friend. Having an instrument of such caliber was incredibly special in those early years. As I searched for my own musical voice, the instrument spoke back, supporting my ideas without any resistance, making me feel invincible.’

Neasa Ní Bhriain, born in Dublin. Violist, Professor for Viola at Hochschule für Musik Dresden, founding member of ensemble reflektor

’Aged 16 I was given a Postacchini violin (above) from the Music Instrument Fund of Ireland. It was on this instrument that I gained entrance to the HMT Rostock in 2008 and played for my (last) violin teacher Prof. Petru Munteanu. I remember when I had to give it back that Prof. Munteanu asked if he could play it during my final lesson using it. He recognised it had been something precious that had made our work more enjoyable.

’This instrument had soul and beauty and was the last violin I truly loved. After giving it back I slowly realised that I was actually looking for much deeper resonances and went on to search for the sound that would carry me through until today - the viola.

’Thank you MIFI! Letting young musicians find their sound on such wonderful instruments lets them know they‘re being taken seriously - and that is beautiful.’

Patrick Moriarty, born in Dublin. Cellist, member of the Paddington Trio based in London, string faculty member of Royal College of Music London Junior Department, Fellowship in the Junior Chamber Department of the Royal Northern College, Manchester

’When I was 14, I was loaned a beautiful cello by Ferdinand August Homolka (below) from the 1800s through MIFI, which was a defining moment for me. I’ll never forget the first time I opened the case, I was so excited and couldn’t stop playing it! The instrument looked and sounded incredible, quickly becoming a huge source of inspiration. Every masterclass I played in, the teachers would always ask about the cello, and I felt very proud every time they did.

’It was bittersweet when the time came to return it, but I always knew that would happen. What made it easier was knowing someone else from the next generation would get to feel the same excitement when they opened the case for the first time. That cello played such an important role in my development and in understanding what to look for in my next instrument. I’ll always be so grateful to MIFI for giving me that opportunity.’

David Tobin, born Dublin. Violinist, guest concertmaster with National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Kölner Kammerorchester, Heidelberg Sinfoniker, and regular guest with Budapest Festival Orchestra and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

’I successfully auditioned for a Luigi Cardi violin (below) from MIFI when I was 15 years old. I played on the instrument for three years and it greatly helped me develop as a musician and also made me realise which type of instrument I wanted and needed when I started my undergraduate studies in Germany.’

Dublin, Spring 2025

The Music Instrument Fund of Ireland is holding its next round of auditions on 17 May 2025 in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Violin, viola and cello students are welcome to apply. Auditions are held every three years. Recipients may audition more than once. Application forms are available from https://www.mifi.ie

We warmly invite all interested young musicians to apply.

Applications may be submitted from 6 January 2025. Closing dates for receipt of applications is 20 March 2025.

Jury members include Ioana Petcu-Colan (leader of the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast); Cian Ó Dúill (Head of Orchestral Studies, Lecturer in Viola, Cork School of Music); and cellist Aisling Drury Byrne.