Academy professor fights retirement at 71 Orchestrasnorman lebrecht August 07, 2026John Finucane has been Ireland’s #1 clarinet player for years, principal of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra from 1977 and of the National Symphony Orchestra from 1995 until 2020. He is also a teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, but they have decided to retire him. John is fighting back. He has won a review. Story here.