Past and present pupils took part in a 30th anniversary concert to celebrate their piano teacher.

The concert was held at the Sime Hall at Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls, in Elstree, and nine of the performers were music scholars and award-holders at a number of schools in the area.

The performances, which celebrated the teaching of Rena Delaney, included solos, duets on one piano and duets on two. There were trios, one of which saw three youngsters squeezed together on one piano stool.

Mrs Delaney said: “It brings a warm glow of the students who come to me at the age of 4 and leave with the diploma or degree in music."

She started playing the piano when she was six and has passed on that experience to her students. Most of them start at around five or six and remain loyal pupils until they start at university.

By then quite a few have reached the exalted heights of a Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

The concert was attended by the Mayor of Elstree & Borehamwood, Cllr Clive Butchins and the Mayoress Elaine Butchins. Also among the audience was the past Mayor of the Borough of Hertsmere, Cllr Sandra Parnell.

After presenting the various cups for achievement, diligence and effort, Cllr Butchins said that what struck him was “the number of young musicians making music and making it so well.”

The parents’ tribute to Rena was led by Richard Jones whose two children were also performing. Richard made a point of praising Rena for her focus, first and foremost on nurturing a love and appreciation of music in priority to the accumulation of exam certificates.