A crescendo of protest over threatened music cuts at Tenby's Greenhill School has led to a top-level meeting in a bid to find funding.

County education director Gerson Davies and other officers have met governors at the school to discuss the huge concerns raised by proposals to axe instrumental lessons at Greenhill, where the award-winning orchestra is the largest in any school in the UK.

As the Western Telegraph revealed last week, the school is considering not buying into the county's peripatetic music service from next September, in a bid to make a £59,000 saving on its over-stretched budget.

Not only could this call the death knell on the orchestra and other ensembles, which would have a knock-on effect to county, three counties and national groups, but it could effectively lead to the collapse of Pembrokeshire's excellent reputation for schools music if other schools followed suit.

Friday's meeting - described as 'lengthy and productive' - discussed various solutions to the situation.

Said authority spokesman Len Mullins: "Planning will continue after the Easter holiday to explore how the funding gap - caused by the reduced level of Sixth Form funding allocated by the Welsh Assembly - problem could be bridged.

"As soon as the school has investigated a range of options to alleviate the difficulty, they will be presented to the governing body and the director.

"When a way forward has been agreed, it will be communicated to students, parents and staff. No decisions have currently been made."

International figures from the music world - including former royal harpist Catrin Finch, percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and cello virtuoso Julian Lloyd-Webber - have lent their support to the campaign, which now has around 900 Facebook group members and petitions circulating on line and on paper. The orchestra auditioned for the National Festival for Music for Youth last Tuesday, when the adjudicator described the funding threat as 'criminal to penalise such talent and dedication'.

Orchestra members and supporters wore music polo shirts to school throughout the week and 60 pupils and parents lobbied mid and west Wales AM and Plaid education spokesperson Nerys Evans at a surgery in Saundersfoot on Thursday, who pledged her backing. At her suggestion, parents are now calling for an extraordinary general meeting with governors and school management.

MP Nick Ainger is also backing the campaign, with Assembly opposition leader Nick Bourne describing the orchestra as 'vital to the spirit and pride' of Greenhill. He added: "Its loss would be nothing less than shameful."

A further protest is planned for the centre of Tenby on Saturday morning, while plans to highlight the campaign in the National Assembly have been helped with Silcox donating the use of three coaches to transport orchestra members to Cardiff.

Two major musical events are being staged to raise awareness of the cause. Former pupil Andrew Cusworth, who went on to study music at Cambridge University, is arranging a concert by a massed choir, made up of everyone who wants to show support, on April 25th. "No-one should be put off by feeling that they can't sing," said Andrew. "This isn't a high-falutin' choral concert - this is a demonstration of support for the superb work of the Greenhill music department and the peripatetic tutors who are so important to its life."

A Save Our Music concert, featuring the school orchestra, ensembles and special guests, is being held at Folly Farm on May 28th, with the costs being met by Chevron and the venue given at no cost by Folly Farm.

Said Angela Roberts, the chair of Sogo (Supporters of Greenhill Orchestra): "There has been an amazing amount of support, and we will continue to keep up our pressure on the school. If the cuts are made, it will be the thin edge of the wedge for schools music throughout Pembrokeshire."

*Anyone who would like more information on the campaign should contact Angela Roberts on 01834 810154 or Liz Jewson on 01834 831540.