Henley Music School Shows Off Their Love of Music at Gala Concert

“I love to hear a choir. I love the humanity to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them co-operating like that,” said Paul McCartney

This quote certainly resonated with the performers at Henley Music School (HMS) Gala Concert at Phyllis Court Club this Sunday.  All were showing their love of music and working in a team to fill the ballroom with superb musical performances.  From children as young as 4 singing in the Mini Choir to the older members of the Youthful Orchestra, the concert showcased the excellent music tuition that Henley Music School provides to everyone in the community.

Laura Reineke, Founder of HMS said, “We’re here to showcase all of our Music School loveliness this afternoon.  We are now helping every state primary school in Henley with subsidised musical education as cuts increase more and more people needs us because of the cuts in funding.  We love to teach people to learn to love music.  The school continues to develop.  Today for example we have our musical technical team recording the concert.”

The Youthful Orchestra opened the concert with great renditions of Michael Buble’s Just Haven’t Met You Yet and Abba’s The Winner Takes It All.  This was followed by performances from different HMS groups playing an array of instruments including brass groups, strings and wind along with performances by school groups from Sacred Heart and Valley Road.  We particularly liked the Brass Ensemble aka The Lads who performed a Football Crazy themed medley which included When the Saints Go Marching and the Wind & Brass Band’s Disney Collection that had excerpts from The Little Mermaid’s Under the Sea and The Lion King’s, Circle of Life.    Special mention should go too to Jonathan Hall on the flute, who was performing for the last time as he is finishing school this summer and has been playing with HMS for over 10 years.

Paul McCartney, we’re sure would also love the teamwork and choir that performed the brilliant Henley-on-Thames Finale song which was written by Peter Williams from the Youthful Orchestra (pictured above with Laura) to the music of Mull of Kintyre with the music arranged by HMS teacher John Watts.

Caroline O’Connor, Commercial Director said, “It was a pleasure to support Laura and the Henley Music School. The feedback has been that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves which we love to hear at the Club.”

Henley Music School is one of this year’s Henley Mayor’s charities.  Henley Mayor, Councillor Glen Lambert said, “The Gala Concert was meticulously planned and directed by Laura Reineke and it was encouraging that so many people took the time to come and see Henley’s young (and less young) musicians perform. The Sacred Heart drummers really seemed to enjoy themselves, Jonathan’s final Henley Music School performance on the flute was flawless, the Mini Choir’s rendition of Do Re Me was absolutely pitch perfect and the Youthful Orchestra book ended the concert neatly and their final performance, a Henley themed reworking of Mull of Kintyre with lyrics written by Peter Williams needs to be professionally recorded.”