The Royal Irish Academy of Music is a home of musical excellence and dynamism, a place of teaching and learning which consistently achieves its objective of transmitting and maintaining the highest standards of performance and appreciation in all musical disciplines. Founded in 1848 the Academy is Ireland’s oldest musical institution. In 1848 a number of musical enthusiasts in Dublin formed an association to found an Academy to “provide systematic instruction in instrumental music.”Among them were John Stanford, father of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, RM Levey (the leading Dublin violinist of the time), the Rev Charles Graves and Joseph Robinson. The Academy held its first classes in the Ancient Concert Rooms in Pearse Street before moving to No 18 St Stephen’s Green. In 1871 the Academy moved to its present home at 36 Westland Row, acquiring the two neighboring houses of Nos 37 and 38 in 1911.