Pub concert raises £1,500 to keep Henley music school going

A CONCERT at the Bottle & Glass Inn has raised about £1,500 in support of the Henley Music School.

Its founder Laura Reineke, 53, aims to provide lessons to everyone regardless of age, ability, background, or means. It was once providing 70 individual lessons a week.

But funding opportunities withered during covid and the school was forced to fight “back from the brink”.

Ms Reineke, who lives in Binfield Heath, said that to this day the school is “never far away” from the brink.

The concert, held last Friday, saw Ms Reineke’s daughter Ava, soprano, performing.

The concert of 10 pieces of music kicked off with L’enfant Prodigue by Claude Debussy, and included performances of Besame Mucho (by Consuelo Velazquez), Ach ich fühl’s (Magic Flute — Mozart) and finished with Signore, ascolta (Giacomo Puccini).

Ava showed an early talent for singing and went to the Junior Royal Academy of Music before going on to study at Trinity Laban.

Ms Reineke said: “The loveliest thing is that her Harpsden preschool teacher, Rose, came along — and was absolutely in awe.”

A grant from Invesco has allowed the school to plan next year’s lessons. Without it, they might have had to “pare everything back again”.

Ms Reineke said: “The problem is, every charity is struggling, applying to an ever-decreasing pot of money.”

Separate to this, she has been attempting to set up a community hub at Trinity Hall, estimated to cost about £1million. This is intended to be a place for young people to go, with a youth counsellor and homework clubs.

The school does not have a physical base and this hub is where it hopes to eventually set up. It is on the first stage of working on this — conducting various surveys in advance of a statement of works — after which fundraising can begin.