Schools Spectacular 2014
Its alumni include international artists Human Nature; musical director, pianist and composer John Foreman; 2013 The Voice finalists Diana Rouvas and Darren Percival; ARIA winners Paulini and Angus and Julia Stone; musical theatre stars David Harris, Lucy Maunder, Amanda Harrison, Julie Goodwin and Trevor Ashley; composer Gavin Lockley and country singers The McClymonts, Felicity Urquhart and Darren Coggan.
What new talent from NSW public schools waits to be discovered in this year’s Schools Spectacular?
When 3,600 performers from 400 public schools, including 33 Featured Artists, 2,000 dancers and a 1,300 voice choir take to the stage of the Qantas Credit Union Arena (formerly the Sydney Entertainment Centre) on November 28 & 29 for the 31st Schools Spectacular, how many will dream of following in the footsteps of 2014 The Voice winner Anja Nisse?
“We see the potential in so many of them,” says Creative Director, Sonja Sjolander, “it just depends who makes it to that next step, but the pedigree is very strong. Who is going to be the next big star? I’d put my money on any one of the 33.”
Not only will the young performers have the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience, but they’ll also to be seen on national prime time TV.
“Teaming up with Network Nine, we were nominated for a Logie this year, which we’re totally stoked about,” says Sonja, “and we seem taking a slightly more commercial and contemporary angle with the show. That’s got some great benefits to the kids, because Schools Spectacular is more than just a life changing experience for some of them, but a career launching pad, as they find their feet in the entertainment industry. I think we’re at the cutting edge of where youth entertainment can go.”
In terms of sheer size, scale and scope, the Schools Spectacular is unparalleled.
“A lot of people really need to come along and see the expanse of the show,” says Sonja. “We’re still very proud to be in the Guinness Book as Records as the biggest largest show of its kind in the world.”
Yet Sonja points to successes on a more personal scale.
“We get incredible feedback each year of just how much the show means to the students. It provides a lot of hope, colour and excitement about the future to a lot of kids’ lives. And that’s why I love being involved in it.
“There’s a lot of emphasis these days on ensuring that each individual child feels like they’ve had a special and unique experience. I do that in my role of director, right through to individual teachers who manage groups.
“We’re hoping to have a segment this year where every child’s face is up on the big screen. For every child, three and a half thousand of them to see their face up there individually, is a special moment to what they’re achieving, and then they’re on their own trajectory.”
Yet the Schools Spectacular has an educational reach far further afield than the arena stage, through the World’s Biggest Classroom’.
“Our big aim is that the experience of the School Spectacular spreads beyond the arena performance and into schools around the state,” says Sonja. “The concept is that we pick up the theme of the show (‘This is Australia’ in 2014), and classrooms all around the state get involved in creative projects. It might be devising what Australia means to them; it might be something about their Australian culture and heritage; what they know about their own family; any project at all, and then we showcase a variety of those at the performance itself, and in various different locations around the state, including train stations, shopping centres, etc., to show that the scope and breadth of it goes well beyond a couple of performances.”
Originally published in the September / October 2014 edition of Stage Whispers
Photographer: Anna Warr.