Music Teacher - Lessons for life: Royal Irish Academy of Music Adult Division

The Royal Irish Academy of Music has opened its doors to an unexpected and often overlooked group of music students. Ariane Todes visits the conservatoire's Dublin home to find out about a pioneering new programme.

The Royal Irish Academy of Music, Westland Row, Dublin

I am in the front room of a beautiful Georgian town house on a Monday evening listening to a performance. Three violinists are playing a tune for their teacher. It's a simple tune – this is only their third lesson – but they are concentrating hard, and they all make it to the end in one piece. The audience applauds, and they smile proudly.

Now, you may be picturing young children, in which case you’ll need to adjust your image. These violinists are all over the age of 50 and they’re learning the violin for the first time. What makes this even more unusual is that this building is a conservatoire, and not only have they been allowed to use the classrooms, but they come every week as regular students. This is week three of the new Adult Division of Dublin's Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM).